Postal customers across the country are being warned about a new SMS scam – where you receive fraudulent phishing messages inside your previous parcel notification history. As part of the scam, you may be asked to click a link or pay a fee.
How do the parcel scams work?
Most SMS or email scams related to post or parcels will involve messages that impersonate couriers, using the sender ID – which is why your smartphone may group these messages with legitimate parcel notifications you’ve received at other times.
The text messages you receive might seem authentic, mentioning a brand name or date – and there might be a link for you to click on to take action on your ‘parcel’.
However, those links usually take you to a fake website designed to steal your personal or financial information.
Examples of parcel scams
Australia Post has detailed what some of the text messages look like – and generally, you want to keep an eye out for an SMS with a link, that says something like this:
“AustPost: Delivery from Kmart due tomorrow Monday Dec 6. If not home we’ll leave in a safe place [link]"
Or the message may say the parcel has been redirected:
“Your parcel has been redirected to your local AusPost branch due to unpaid shipping fees. You can reschedule your delivery now at [link]"
"Sorry! We missed you today between [time]. If you would like your parcel to be redelivered, please go to: [link]."
Also keep an eye out for scam messages that sound like they’ve been sent from customs:
“Package detained in terminal. Pay now to release: [link]”
How can I avoid parcel scams?
Here are our tips on protecting yourself from parcel scams.
- Is there a link? Most couriers won’t ask for personal or financial details or requesting that you make payment via an SMS link. So view any link with caution.
- Note the language. If there are typos or grammatical errors in the SMS or email you’ve received, it’s likely a scam. If it looks different to other messages you’ve previously received, that’s a big red flag too.
- Is the message urgent? A sense of urgency in the SMS or email (especially if the message requests you make payment) is a good sign it’s not legit.
What should I do if I get a scam SMS or email?
Here’s the official advice from the ACCC:
- Don’t click the link or attempt to ring the number
- Delete the message immediately
- Report the scam to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au and to the relevant courier
- Do a Google search to find out if there are similar scams happening
- Always look for the secure ‘lock’ symbol on websites before making a transaction.