Not everyone is jolly this festive time of year, and some are positively out to make your life as miserable as possible. The biggest virtual Scrooge you can encounter is the online scammer looking to steal your money or hack your personal data and account credentials. One of the most commonplace of attacks is known as the pay-and-spray parcel hack. Here’s what you need to know this holiday season.
The Pay And Spray Holiday Parcel Hack Attack Explained
Scams come in myriad forms, from telephone calls to text messages, emails, and fake websites promoted via social media, and, well, I could go on. Perhaps the most insidious, and certainly one of the most prolific at this time of year, has to be the pay-and-spray parcel delivery attack. This is, in fact, an umbrella term for a number of different scams that all revolve around parcel delivery, and rely upon the stress of the seasonal shopping rush to succeed.
The United States Postal Inspection Service has issued a security advisory about the dangers of package tracking text scams, for example. “Have you received unsolicited mobile text messages with an unfamiliar or strange web link that indicates a USPS delivery requires a response from you?” the advisory warned. “If you never signed up for a USPS tracking request for a specific package, then don’t click the link!” USPS provides free tools for such tracking, requiring online registration or, yes, text message, but it said that it “will not send customers text messages or e-mails without a customer first requesting the service with a tracking number, and it will NOT contain a link.”
The Federal Communications Commission, meanwhile, has warned of an uptick in tariff text scams that fall into the same parcel hack attack category. Courtesy of a lack of clarity among consumers regarding new tariff rules on imported goods priced under $800, the FCC said, “fraudsters have adjusted their package delivery text scams to claim that you owe a tariff that must be paid before your order can be delivered.” These scams often involve warnings that your parcel is stuck in customs and won’t be released until the charge is paid, leveraging the stress of getting presents to family and friends in time for the seasonal holidays. The FCC recommended that consumers “look for specific information about tariffs and duties on merchant websites before making a purchase,” and “check directly with the retailer where you made the purchase or the shipping company if you think there may be a problem.” Please, be careful out there this holiday season. Not everyone wants to spread joy and happiness.
