The site looked real. But it wasn’t. Now, Wichita woman warns of package tracking scam

When Teresa Owen saw the text message flash across her cellphone screen Monday morning, she responded without hesitation.

It appeared to be a package delivery update from the United States Postal Service.

She had been waiting for some shipments carrying important medical equipment. She didn’t want any delays.

Owen, of Wichita, clicked a link in the message that took her to a website she says bore post office information and logos. It told her a package was 30 cents short of postage and asked her to pay to avoid a delivery problem. The tracking number looked legitimate.

She promptly entered her debit card number and thought, “this is the post office. I want to get this done fast.”

Relief washed over her until her bank emailed. She’d been scammed.

Fortunately, Owen said she didn’t lose any cash. “Luckily, they never even took the 30 cents.”

But she did have to cancel her debit card — leaving her temporarily inconvenienced until a new one arrives.

Owen knows it could have been worse.

Now, she wants to warn others so they don’t make the same mistake.

The type of scam Owen fell for is called smishing — a form of phishing where someone uses a text message or phone number to try to obtain personal identifying or financial account information from an unsuspecting target.

In Owen’s case, the specific type of fraud was a package tracking text scam.

“These scammers often attempt to disguise themselves as a government agency, bank, or other company to lend legitimacy to their claims,” the United States Postal Inspection Service warned in a March article.

The information disclosed is then “used to carry out other crimes, such as financial fraud,” the article says.

“If you click on that link in the text message, you’ll be inviting the scam artists into your life,” U.S. Postal Inspector Andrea Avery said in a video on the topic.

“Once you open the attached page, your personal information will go directly to the scammers,” who may steal your identity or bank details or install malware on your phone, Avery said in the video.

In an age dominated by digital messaging and online ordering — and scammers using increasingly sophisticated dupes — it’s easy to get tricked.

“When it looked exactly like the Post Office website, I trusted it,” Owen said.

But the postal inspection service says the post office doesn’t send unsolicited text messages or emails like this.

Customers who want to track packages have to either register online or initiate texting contact and provide a tracking number.

A legitimate message won’t contain a link for customers to click through.

“If you suspect the text message you have received is suspicious but are expecting a parcel, please do not click on any links. Rather, report it and visit USPS.com from your mobile device or computer for tracking and additional resources,” the postal inspection service said.

If you get an unsolicited text, delete it immediately.

Owen says the email from her bank alerted her that her debit card had been linked to new Apple and PayPal accounts, ones she told them she hadn’t opened or authorized.

The scammers weren’t able to withdraw any money because she immediately canceled her card number, she said.

She’s still waiting for her new debit card to arrive, but she considers that a minor headache considering what could have happened.

“My bank reacted really fast, and we got it shut down before they could do anything,” she said.

Owen says she’s leery about online ordering now but still has to rely on it to some degree due to her and her husband’s health.

She’s trying to take steps to avoid falling victim in the future.

“Don’t trust a text message just because it looks like (it came from) the post office,” she suggested. “Make a call first.”

What to do if you get a suspicious text

You can report a post office-related smishing scam by emailing a copy of the suspicious text message along with your name and any relevant details to spam@uspis.gov. The postal inspection service says it will contact you if it needs additional information.

Other types of smishing scams can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint or to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov/complaint.

You can also report scam numbers by forwarding a suspicious message to 7726.

For more information on postal scams, go to www.uspis.gov.