Warning: That Delivery Text from FedEx Could Be a Scam
The notification that your package has finally been delivered usually brings excitement, but you should be wary next time you receive a delivery alert. There's currently a FedEx scam going on, and it could put you at risk.
How-To Geek first reported the news after one of the publication's writers received the fake delivery alert. Social media users also posted their fake messages online to warn others. The person received a message claiming their FedEx package had been delivered with a link attached. Upon clicking on the link, they were directed to a fake Amazon page that asked them to take a survey. After the survey, they were prompted to give a credit card number to claim a free item but needed to pay a shipping and handling fee.
THIS IS A SCAMMM !!!! Do not click the link ! I know its a scan because I haven’t ordered anything from fed ex or any other company . #FedexScam pic.twitter.com/kWF0xQL9j5
— Bree 🤪 (@breechillaf) January 20, 2020
Of course, it's never a good idea to give out personal or financial information to a site you don't know to be secure, and in this case, it could be quite costly. If you agree to claim your "free" gift, you're also signing up for a 14-day trial for a company that sells "scammy products," as How-To-Geek puts it. After the two weeks, your credit card is charged $98.95 per month to restock the original reward.
Related: 10 Things to Do to Avoid Identity Theft
Although the fraudulent messages look quite similar to real ones, there are a few hints that it's not the real deal. FedEx notes to look for common warning signs, including requests for personal or financial information, misspelled or altered website addresses, spelling or grammatical errors, and claims that you've won money.
Have you received a suspicious text or e-mail that appears to be from us? Suspicious messages should be deleted without being opened and reported to abuse@fedex.com.
Here are more tips to protect your safety: https://t.co/sgedEYSNfF pic.twitter.com/fMnR5Pgn7K— FedEx (@FedEx) January 22, 2020
The good news is it's pretty easy to avoid being scammed, even if you do receive the message. If a questionable delivery alert pops up in your inbox, don't click on it. (And if you do and it brings you to a strange website, exit out immediately.) Then, block the number that sent you the scam and report the message to abuse@fedex.com. FedEx even recommends going as far as reporting the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Center or your state's Attorney General's office.
As long as you're vigilant, you should avoid the scam and a hefty credit card charge.
