Scam?

[The Sybian]

This is a weird one... This morning I sent a priority package through the USPS to my mom. She just called saying she got a text from the USPS that looks real, but has to be a scam, saying there is a package sent to her with an illegible address and she needs to enter her address so they can ship it. And it says the package was shipped from my town. She forwarded me the text, and it's the best looking scam page I've ever seen, and all the USPS logos go to the real site. But the kicker, it lists the tracking number, and it's exactly the same as the tracking number I received. I looked up the tracking number, and it says it was accepted at my post office at 8:40, and hasn't moved, which is disconcerting as it's supposed to arrive by Saturday. The really weird part, how did they get my mother's cell phone number? Whether it's real or a scam, how could they have her cell? And if it is a scam, it has to be a postal employee, as they knew a package was going to her and they have the correct tracking number. Looking online, everything I see said the USPS will never text for an undeliverable package. I can't figure this out, other than a postal employee pulling a scam.

[Shirley]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam? That's not exactly secret information.

[Giff]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam? That's not exactly secret information.

It's not the address part, but the phone number part.

[Johnnie]

It's kinda scary what info you can pull of people with a "first name last name town" kinda Google search.

I just googled about this and it's called 'smishing' or phishing via SMS.

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Scams-Scheme-Alerts

There's a few places you can call to report this. Good luck, man. That's some schiesty nonsense.

[P.D.X.]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam?

Likely just trying to hook the target and then escalate to asking for more private info.

[The Sybian]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam?

Likely just trying to hook the target and then escalate to asking for more private info.

Yeah, or you get a virus when you click the link. Still think it has to be a postal employee since they knew the tracking number.

[P.D.X.]

If it had tracking it had a printed label and if it had a printed label it would have a USPS- validated address and thus would not be ‘illegible’ at all. Also, it all likely gets sorted via barcode and the only person who would ever read the printed address is the last guy in the chain dropping it on the doorstep.

Eta… def a scam intended for the olds

[Giff]

If it had tracking it had a printed label and if it had a printed label it would have a USPS- validated address and thus would not be ‘illegible’ at all. Also, it all likely gets sorted via barcode and the only person who would ever read the printed address is the last guy in the chain dropping it on the doorstep.

I need to check next time, but my sister sends me care packages with tracking numbers and it’s always in her handwriting, and have never noticed a label.

[sancarlos]

I don’t know if it will do any good, but I would file a complaint report.
https://www.uspsoig.gov/hotline

[Shirley]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam?

Likely just trying to hook the target and then escalate to asking for more private info.

Yeah, or you get a virus when you click the link. Still think it has to be a postal employee since they knew the tracking number.

Ah, you didn't say it had a link to click. I thought it was just asking her to text back an address. If it's a link, what's the URL? That usually tells you all you need to know. It can be tricky if they used a shortener, although that alone would probably be a good sign that it wasn't actually the USPS.

[The Sybian]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam?

Likely just trying to hook the target and then escalate to asking for more private info.

Yeah, or you get a virus when you click the link. Still think it has to be a postal employee since they knew the tracking number.

Ah, you didn't say it had a link to click. I thought it was just asking her to text back an address. If it's a link, what's the URL? That usually tells you all you need to know. It can be tricky if they used a shortener, although that alone would probably be a good sign that it wasn't actually the USPS.

Link was: http://usps-infos.top/TrPWk

The link is suspicious, but the page is extremely real looking, and the links on the page take you to the real USPS page. I'll just type in my parent's address and SSNs and see what happens.

[brian]

That link is absolutely a scam link.

Anything legit would be usps.gov (or .com etc) only

[duff]

I bet it was Mailman Pat. That guy is trouble.

[Ryan]

Yeah but there’s no evidence of an extravagant lifestyle that one would expect

[sancarlos]

Yeah but there’s no evidence of an extravagant lifestyle that one would expect

Yes, we desperadoes are always living it up! Going on cruises and such!

[rass]

I bet it was Mailman Pat. That guy is trouble.

Clearly made some enemies

[mister d]

Who wants to Camaro Syb’s mom?

[The Sybian]

Who wants to Camaro Syb’s mom?

Out of context, it sounds even funnier.

[Shirley]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam?

Likely just trying to hook the target and then escalate to asking for more private info.

Yeah, or you get a virus when you click the link. Still think it has to be a postal employee since they knew the tracking number.

Ah, you didn't say it had a link to click. I thought it was just asking her to text back an address. If it's a link, what's the URL? That usually tells you all you need to know. It can be tricky if they used a shortener, although that alone would probably be a good sign that it wasn't actually the USPS.

Link was: http://usps-infos.top/TrPWk

The link is suspicious, but the page is extremely real looking, and the links on the page take you to the real USPS page. I'll just type in my parent's address and SSNs and see what happens.

Oh shit, you never should have clicked that link. That's all the evidence you need that it's a scam. The rest of the message is irrelevant. Never, ever click suspicious links like that. If it's truly from the USPS (or your bank, or Amazon, etc.) the URL will be the USPS domain, not some similar, but different one. Just by clicking the link, you can get malware on your computer or phone.

[Nonlinear FC]

Funny... Spent about an hour this week doing all the cybersecurity training at work. I've been bitching that you should be able to test out of these things if you score high enough, because taking these every year is stupid.

I used to do PR for cybersecurity firm, ffs.

Anyways, yeah, the link is the key. That's a pretty good fake, but it's absolutely not real.

[The Sybian]

How would getting her mailing address be a scam?

Likely just trying to hook the target and then escalate to asking for more private info.

Yeah, or you get a virus when you click the link. Still think it has to be a postal employee since they knew the tracking number.

Ah, you didn't say it had a link to click. I thought it was just asking her to text back an address. If it's a link, what's the URL? That usually tells you all you need to know. It can be tricky if they used a shortener, although that alone would probably be a good sign that it wasn't actually the USPS.

Link was: http://usps-infos.top/TrPWk

The link is suspicious, but the page is extremely real looking, and the links on the page take you to the real USPS page. I'll just type in my parent's address and SSNs and see what happens.

Oh shit, you never should have clicked that link. That's all the evidence you need that it's a scam. The rest of the message is irrelevant. Never, ever click suspicious links like that. If it's truly from the USPS (or your bank, or Amazon, etc.) the URL will be the USPS domain, not some similar, but different one. Just by clicking the link, you can get malware on your computer or phone.

I would never open anything like that on my computer, but I thought iPhones weren't susceptible unless you download something.

Regardless, mystery solved. My mother conflated the scam text with a legit email she received from the USPS. Apparently she gets an email every day saying what mail is arriving that day and when a package is shipped to her, including the tracking number. Text didn't say where the package came from or include tracking number. Had to explain several times that the email and text aren't related, and just a coincidence that they both happened in the same day.

[Steve of phpBB]

Text didn't say where the package came from or include tracking number. Had to explain several times that the email and text aren't related, and just a coincidence that they both happened in the same day.

This makes more sense to me now. We often get those texts saying we have a package to pick up - and it's clear that the links are shady. But they never have tracking numbers, and it sounded really suspicious that a spammer would have a tracking number to give your mom.

[Shirley]

iPhones are indeed much safer for malware, but they're not 100% foolproof. But yeah, the biggest risk there is you mom getting scammed, not hacked.

[The Sybian]

iPhones are indeed much safer for malware, but they're not 100% foolproof. But yeah, the biggest risk there is you mom getting scammed, not hacked.

No doubt. She has definitely lost a step.