Welcome to the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment. Today: Building a digital defense against holiday shipping scams.
This week – we are talking about all the ways your holiday gifts can get snagged in a shipping scam.
You did all the right things when you bought that bonanza of gifts. You used legitimate websites. You paid through a secure portal. You checked reviews. But, there’s more you have to do to keep your packages and yourself safe.
You receive an email or text message that says there’s a problem delivering your package or you can check on its delivery status. It may come from the retailer or the supposed shipper (such as UPS, FedEx, or U.S. Postal Service.) Attached there might be a supposed invoice loaded with malware… one click and your device is infected. Or, the email tells you to click on link to get an update on the projected delivery date. You get sent to a bogus – but real-looking – website where you promptly enter your user ID and password. The bad actor now has free rein in your account.
How do you tell if that email or text notification is real? Check the email account used. Are there misspellings or is it from a generic email provider such as Gmail or Yahoo? Another thing to watch for: most big sellers will include shipping details in the body of the email – not require you to click on a link. Regardless, if…
