Beware of spam appearing to come from the U.S. Postal Service. Some postal customers are receiving bogus e-mails about a package delivery or online postage charges. The e-mails contain a link or attachment that, when opened, installs a malicious virus that can steal personal information from your PC.
The e-mails claim to be from the U.S. Postal Service and contain fraudulent information about an attempted or intercepted package delivery or online postage charges. You are instructed to click on a link, open the attachment, or print the label.
But Postal Inspectors warn: Don't do it!
Like most viruses sent by e-mail, clicking on the link or opening the attachment will activate a virus that can steal information--such as your user name, password, and financial account information.
What to do?
Simply delete the message without taking any further action. The Postal Inspection Service is working hard to resolve the issue and shut down the malicious program.
If you have questions about a delivery or wish to report spam, please call 1-800-ASK-USPS or email spam@uspis.gov
Some of these scams are just new twists on the same old thing, trying to take advantage of you in ways that you're not expecting. Be vigilant and remember to be suspicious whenever you get a strange message out of the blue.
Information is empowering ---and it is often your best defense against fraud. If you familiarize yourself with a few of the latest scams and techniques, you'll be less likely to fall victim to fraud.
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We all know the USPS doesn't send emails to consumers, so that by itself is a HUGE red flag. It's really disturbing that there are some folks out there still looking to scam others, instead of working hard for their money.