Scammers send text messages like this one seen in the example provided by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office. Consumers should never click a link in a suspicious email.
Attorney General Todd Rokita is advising Hoosiers to be on the look out for scam texts and emails about packages.
The messages are informing people of shipping-and-delivery issues with items they supposedly have ordered. Scammers are flooding inboxes with these false claims to steal personal information and/or lure victims into unknowingly downloading malware onto their computers or phones, Rokita warns.
“Our team works hard to bring scammers to justice,” Rokita said in a statement on the scams. “Working with partners in law enforcement, we’re regularly catching and prosecuting more of these criminals. At the same time, another big part of our mission is raising awareness among all Hoosiers about these various scams so they can spot them and avoid falling into their traps.”
The fraudulent emails and texts often contain links purported to help the consumer track a package. Don’t click them, as these links will actually connect to malicious websites, Rokita said.
These scam messages typically appear to come from believable senders like Amazon, FedEx, the U.S. Postal Service, UPS and others. Regardless, don’t click or respond to the message. Instead, if consumers believe there is any possibility the message could be valid, they should simply contact the delivery carrier personally. Consumers should navigate to the appropriate website without using any contact information provided in the suspicious text or email, Rokita advises.
Consumers who believe they are the target of a scam attempt may file a complaint at in.gov/attorneygeneral/ or call 1-800-382-5516.
