Scam?
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- The Sybian
- The Dude
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Scam?
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.
An honest to God cult of personality - formed around a failed steak salesman.
-Pruitt
-Pruitt
Re: Scam?
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.
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.
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- The Sybian
- The Dude
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Re: Scam?
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.
An honest to God cult of personality - formed around a failed steak salesman.
-Pruitt
-Pruitt
Re: Scam?
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
Eta… def a scam intended for the olds
Re: Scam?
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.P.D.X. wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 5:03 pm 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.
well this is gonna be someone's new signature - bronto
Re: Scam?
I don’t know if it will do any good, but I would file a complaint report.
https://www.uspsoig.gov/hotline
https://www.uspsoig.gov/hotline
"What a bunch of pedantic pricks." - sybian
Re: Scam?
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 wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 4:48 pmYeah, 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.
Totally Kafkaesque
- The Sybian
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Re: Scam?
Link was: http://usps-infos.top/TrPWkShirley wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 5:44 pmAh, 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 wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 4:48 pmYeah, 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.
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.
An honest to God cult of personality - formed around a failed steak salesman.
-Pruitt
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- The Sybian
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Re: Scam?
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.The Sybian wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 6:37 pmLink was: http://usps-infos.top/TrPWkShirley wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 5:44 pmAh, 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 wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 4:48 pmYeah, 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.
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.
Totally Kafkaesque
- Nonlinear FC
- The Dude
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Re: Scam?
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.
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.
You can lead a horse to fish, but you can't fish out a horse.
- The Sybian
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Re: Scam?
I would never open anything like that on my computer, but I thought iPhones weren't susceptible unless you download something.Shirley wrote: ↑Fri May 10, 2024 7:55 amOh 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.The Sybian wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 6:37 pmLink was: http://usps-infos.top/TrPWkShirley wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 5:44 pmAh, 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 wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 4:48 pmYeah, 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.
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.
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.
An honest to God cult of personality - formed around a failed steak salesman.
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Re: Scam?
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.The Sybian wrote: ↑Fri May 10, 2024 10:55 amText 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.
And his one problem is he didn’t go to Russia that night because he had extracurricular activities, and they froze to death.
- The Sybian
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Re: Scam?
No doubt. She has definitely lost a step.
An honest to God cult of personality - formed around a failed steak salesman.
-Pruitt
-Pruitt