With the holiday season right around the corner, the U.S. Postal Service is warning consumers about scams targeting people expecting holiday packages.
Ahead of the busy shipping season, USPS has launched “Project Safe Delivery” to highlight safety features and educate the public about common scams during the holiday season. The initiative comes as package volumes typically surge around major holidays.
Common scam tactics
Mark Inglett, a strategic communications manager for USPS said criminals often send fake email or text messages claiming to be from the post office attempting to deliver a package.
“You might get a text message saying, we’re trying to locate you to get you a package or something like that,” Inglett said. The Postal Service doesn’t do that,”
Another scam called “brushing” involves sending unsolicited gifts to targets along with a QR code to scan. Inglett said people should not scan the code or provide any information. Recipients have no obligation to keep or return unsolicited packages.
What to do if a package does go missing
If you do have a package you’re looking for, Inglett says you should go to the “track a package” page on the USPS website and enter your tracking number.
“Well, you can ask for automatic updates by email or text message. And if you do that, then we’ll provide you updated information on the package you requested. But we’re not going to reach out to you with a text message asking you to log into this website or anything like that,” Inglett said.
More information on Project Safe Delivery and how to avoid scams can be found on the United States Postal Inspection Service website.
