There’s a new scam making the rounds, Canby-based telecommunications company DirectLink warns.
A form of phishing, the “package waiting” scam attempts to target people who get packages delivered to their home. It typically includes a text message on your smartphone from a sender posing as a shipping company like USPS, FedEx, Amazon Prime, or UPS.
The fake company then claims to have a package in their possession that is waiting to be delivered to you, and all you have to do is click on the link included in the text message to make it right.
An example, courtesy the Federal Trade Commission, goes like this: “We came across a parcel from March pending for you. Kindly claim ownership and schedule for delivery here: [link].”
It may sound innocent enough, but the text is actually from a scammer. Once you click the link, they can trick you into giving personal information — passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. Clicking these links could also let scammers download malware onto your device.
In some cases, the scams have targeted college students impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In that version, scammers text returning students to say there’s a package waiting for them on campus — sometimes claiming it’s been waiting since last spring.
Whatever the message is, this rule stays the same: If you get an unexpected text message about a package, don’t click on any links. If you think the message could be legitimate, contact the company directly using a website or phone number you know is real.
