It’s the smishing scam making the text rounds once again. A message claiming to be from the U.S. Postal Service about a change in a delivery shipment.
“Unfortunately if you click on that link you expose yourself to either getting your device hacked or they’ll probably ask you for more information,” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said.
William Tong said the message is just one of likely hundreds of thousands pinging phones every day in Connecticut.
“We’re still in a global pandemic so everybody knows that all of us are worried and we’re vulnerable and we’re at risk of being scammed,” Tong said.
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The U.S. Postal Inspection Service told NBC Connecticut, “These messages are prompting unsuspecting consumers to confirm their personal delivery information by clicking a link or downloading an attachment, that, when opened, can activate a virus and steal information such as usernames, passwords and financial account information.”
The inspection service warns people not to click on the link or give out personal information and urges people to examine the message closely and verify the identity of the sender. The inspection service does not send text messages or emails about unclaimed packages and recommends those who receive the message report it to scams@uspis.gov.
Tong still recommends signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry but said it only provides a measure of protection.
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“It is a bit like "whack a mole." Scammers are everywhere. With the technology, they are often a half step ahead and we’re chasing them as hard as we can,” Tong said.
