A little while back, I got a text message on my cell phone claiming that I had an undeliverable package due to an “incorrect address” and a “signature required”. At that time, in fact, I was expecting a package, so the message seemed like it would be reasonable. That is until I looked more into it.
The scam’s objective was straightforward: to steal my personal and financial information right in front of me. While the message sender was pretending to be a delivery service, they were hoping that I follow through with their requests to enter my address and give them my credit card information to pay for a “redelivery fee” as they called it.
The scam gave me a sense of false urgency. It also had a misleading link which, to the uncareful eye, could appear to be a legitimate link that could direct you elsewhere. The website itself on the other end of the fake link also seemed particularly convincing. Finally, when it asked me for my information, it showed me a great example of how easy it can be to become a victim of identity theft.
In the end, how I could tell it was fake was through a few ways:
- The URL did not match the delivery courier’s real domain
- Delivery companies are not known to charge fees through text messages
- The text message did not even include my name or tracking number or anything else related
- When I used the tracking number I was officially given, the package was still on its way through the postal system
The takeaway is that these types of scams like this are so effective on a large scale because they are designed to easily integrate into everyday life and scare people. If you ever receive a message like this, take a moment. Avoid clicking the link, check the official website of the service in question, and look closely at the URLs and payment requests to train yourself on what to accept and avoid. Taking this time to be aware and safe on the internet can save you from a truly grave mistake.
This blog post came out with surprisingly good timing – just 8 days ago, I fell victim to a scam myself! Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the warning signs until looking back in retrospect. Something that isn’t mentioned a lot is phone number spoofing – it’s shockingly easy for someone to change the Caller ID to that of a trusted number, and abuse that to gain your trust. I think the last paragraph talking about being extra vigilant really hits home the importance of always paying attention, even if nothing seems wrong.
Hello Jack! That’s pretty interesting timing that I covered this topic which you experienced recently! It is indeed very easy for such bad actors to put together these believable, elaborate scams. I’m glad you were able to find my blog helpful and relevant!
I’ve also had to deal with multiple scam texts. I agree with you that they create a false sense of urgency, but if you take a closer look you can easily recognize the signs of a scam. I like the tips you give at the end to help people avoid potential scams.
Thanks Carter! I’m glad my article is informative and useful to you and that you like my tips.
Thank you for informing us on this topic Mr. Vandarakis!
You’re welcome!
You did great on this blog post! I remember when I also got that and you helped me figure out it was fake and helped me to not worry about them. Im happy you are learning all this so you can help others from scams in the future, also cuz Imma be working with rocks my whole life not this, so you can help me too
XDDDD
Hi Hailey! I am glad I can help you and others be informed of how to be aware of various scams. It’s very important in this day and age!