CHICAGO (CBS) — A CBS News Chicago viewer recently received a strange text message and wanted to share it to prevent others from falling victim to a scam.
A message came on the producer’s phone: “US Post: You have a USPS package that is being cleared, due to the detection of an invalid zip code address, the package cannot be cleared, the package is being temporarily held, please confirm the zip code -address information in the link within 24 hours.”
The message contained a shortened URL and advised the recipient to “reply with a Y, then close and reopen the text message to activate the link, or copy the link to your Safari browser and open it.”
The producer was indeed expecting a package at that time and was told by the legitimate sender that it was delayed.
But that text message from a strange international number had nothing to do with the actual package or the delay.
Scammers know that many of us are waiting for packages this holiday season. CBS News Chicago spoke to an expert about why no one should click on fake links like the one in that text message.
“One of the big fraudsters we see is you get a text saying, ‘We’re trying to make a delivery to your location, so please contact us,’ and when you contact them they want that you message them your name, your address, your credit card numbers, etc. It’s all a scam,” said “Professor Fraud” William Kresse of Governors State University. “So be careful with this type of fraud. We are seeing a large increase in this. We are seeing a large increase in the number of contacts who contact you via SMS. SMS is increasingly becoming the portal for fraud.”
The US Postal Service and other shippers may offer text updates, but only to those who have personally signed up for them.
