Individuals around the country have reported receiving fraudulent messages from the US Post Office and other shipping companies.
RELATED: Holiday Shopping Online Identity Theft
Who Is It Targeting: Postal service customers
What Is It: Shipping scam with an embedded malware link
What Are They After: The state of Minnesota has issued a warning about a scam that has been taking place throughout the country, but has especially impacted residents in-state. Would-be victims receive a message that one of their packages was marked “undeliverable,” and that they need to click the enclosed link in order to re-attempt the delivery.
Previous recent versions of this scam were “phishing attempts” aimed at nabbing the recipient’s personal identifiable information. This time, though, authorities believe that clicking the link will very likely install a virus or other form of malware on the recipient’s computer, which can then lead to a variety of harmful effects.
How Can You Avoid It:
- Never click a link or open an attachment in an email or text message unless you were specifically expecting it.
- Even if an email appears to have been sent from a friend, it might not be safe as their account could have been hacked.
- Verify any messages before you click the extra content.
If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. Find more information about current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from Republican-Eagle.com.
Are you a victim of fraud or money scam? Share your story with us on the Money Credit and You Facebook page!
Original article published on Identity Theft Resource Center.
