Scammers are taking advantage of the holiday shopping season
with fake email shipping notifications that pose as FedEx, UPS or the United
States Postal Service. This holiday season, don't let these scams fool you into
opening a virus on your computer.
How the Scam Works:
You receive an email message that appears to be a shipping
notification for a package. You've been doing your holiday shopping online, so
you figure it must be something you've ordered. Curious, you open the
email and attachment.
When you click on the file, you find that it isn't a tracking
notification after all. It's really a virus that will download to your
computer. Typically, these viruses phish for personal and banking information
on your machine. But the FBI recently warned about the resurgence of a type of virus called
"ransomware." Once downloaded, this virus will lock your
computer and urge you to pay a ransom to the scammer responsible.
Like all scams, this one has many variations. Scammers have
posed as FedEx, UPS, USPS and even big online retailers, like Amazon. They also
change up the email content. A common version of this scam is a fake delivery
failure notification. Scammers claim the attached virus is the receipt you need
to collect your package from the local office.
Tips to Avoid Email
Scams:
Spot common email scams by following these tips:
1.
Don't believe what you see. Scammers make emails appear
to come from a reputable source. Just because it looks like an
"@ups.com" address does not mean it's safe.
2.
Be wary of
unexpected emails that contain links or attachments. As always, do not
click on links or open the files in unfamiliar emails.
3.
Beware of pop-ups. Some pop-ups are
designed to look like they've originated from your computer. If you see a
pop-up that looks like an anti-virus software but warns of a problem that needs
to be fixed with an extreme level of urgency, it may be a scam.
4.
Watch for poor grammar and
spelling. Scam emails often are riddled with typos.
5.
Immediate action is necessary. Scam emails
try to get you to act before you think by creating a sense of urgency. Don't
fall for it.
For More
Information
For more information about scams, see BBB's Scam Stopper.
Check out FedEx and UPS websites for more information about fake
shipping emails and examples of typical scams.
