UPS Text Scam: How to spot it and protect yourself from getting scammed
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Get an unexpected delivery message? Stay alert and be careful. It may be a UPS text scam. As you may not know, Americans lost more than $131 million in 2021 alone due to text message scams like the UPS text scam, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
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If you don’t know how to spot UPS text scams, don’t worry. In this guide, you’ll learn how to identify the most common scams and how to protect yourself from getting scammed.
How to spot a UPS text scam
To spot UPS text scams, let’s first look at real UPS text messages.
UPS does send text message alerts to customers. However, it only sends text messages from 69877 for customers in the U.S. and Canada. As you can see, it’s not a 7-digit phone number.
Here are some common reasons UPS texts its customers:
- To notify you of an impending delivery
- To provide you with information about a package, such as when it is on the move or whether it has arrived or left.
- To notify you of any problems with your package (changes to your delivery date, missed delivery attempts, delivery exceptions)
At times, UPS does send out texts that include links, which are always recognizable and from the official UPS site (ups.com). If you receive a text message claiming to be from UPS, but the link in the message doesn’t start with “https://www.ups.com”, it is a fake message.
Red flags of a UPS text scam
Many times, you may already be aware that these texts are scams if you weren’t anticipating or sending a delivery. However, it could be more difficult to spot the signs of these scams if you’re expecting a package, or you just shipped something.
Here are some signs that indicate the text message you reciveed is a UPS text scam:
- You’re not expecting a delivery.
- Strange phone numbers.
- Spelling or grammatical mistakes.
- Urgent requests.
- Links that are not from “ups.com”.
- Fake tracking numbers.
Some of the most common UPS text scams
If you’ve received a text messge from “UPS” about a issue with your package out of the bule, you’re not alone. These text messages are usually well-crafted fake UPS texts used by con artists as sophisticated traps, and the text messages often carry a sense of urgency, contain clickable links and call for quick action. Once you click the links on it, they could steal your personal information and may even infect yoru devices with malware.
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Here are some of the most common UPS text scams:
“Missed delivery” message
The most common UPS text scam. The text message claims that you’ve missed a delivery and need to reschedule. Here’s an example of this kind of UPS text scam:
Even if you haven’t ordered anything or aren’t expecting a package, the scammers hope you’ll be intrigued enough to click on the link that looks like it’s from UPS, but actually not.
“Undelivered package” message
The text message usually includes a tracking number and a notification that a scheduled delivery cannot be made for a variety of reasons. You may be prompted to click on the link to enter a new delivery address. The link in the text message looks like it’s from ups.com, but it’s not.
“Unsettled delivery fee” message
In this kind of scam, the message claims that you’ll miss the package if you don’t pay a delivery fee. Here’s an example:
Don’t click on the link in the message, or you’ll be redirected to a website that looks like the official UPS site.
Once you submit your personal information like your full name, address, credit card number, or SSN on those fake sites, the scammers would use the information for fraud or even identity theft.
How to protect yourself from UPS Text Message Scams
Thanks to the pandemic, we’re doing more online shopping then ever before. As a result, delivery notice scam texts are also on the rise — and not just from UPS. You may receive fake SMS notifications from USPS, FedEx, or other shipping companies.
To protect yourself from a fake UPS text, always follow these tips:
1. Track your deliveries on the official UPS website
Login to your UPS My Choice account on ups.com to verify if you have a package waiting for you. Besides, you can also use the tracking number to track UPS packages on ups.com/track.
2. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your UPS account
To protect your UPS accounts, you need to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your UPS account. With 2FA enabled, no one but you can log in, even if scammers cracks your password, or your UPS login credentials are leaked after a data breach.
3. Regularly check your credit report and bank statements
UPS text scams are just a ploy; the real goal of the scammers is to access to your financial accounts. Keep an eye out for warning signs that you’ve been a victim of financial identity theft, such as unusual charges on your bank statement or accounts you don’t recognize.
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4. Report USP text scams to UPS and government agencies
Wheter you’re a victim of a UPS text scam, or you receive a text scam message, report it to UPS and government agencies bofore more people fall for it:
- UPS – you’ll need to take a screenshot of the fake UPS text message and send it to fraud@ups.com.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Wrap it up
In this guide, we explained how to spot the UPS text scams and how to protect yourself from falling for it. Hopefully, this guide helps. If you have any questions or suggestions on this topic, feel free to drop a line in the comment area below. Thanks for reading!
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