Nothing’s better than finding out you’ve got a package waiting for you, and cybercriminals know that all too well. That’s why they like to send fake notifications alerting you to a package waiting for you.
Of course, all they really want is your money which you’ll have to pay to pick up these non-existent packages. It’s a nasty scam, but fortunately, it’s not hard to avoid.
Typically, you will receive an email notifying you that you have a package waiting to be delivered. The email may seem legit as coming from a trustworthy local courier company. The email will contain a link that needs to be clicked on to pay an outstanding fee before the package can be delivered.
Given it’s the holiday season, we can expect these types of scams to be very popular right now.
Real solutions for fake packages
Spotting of these package scams van be difficult – after all, it’s not uncommon for us to need to pay to have a package delivered. But a convincing email can’t beat out a little thinking and a healthy dose of caution.
Things to consider:
Did you order a package lately?
Scammers may send emails or texts claiming to be from a delivery company, like The Courier Guy or RAM Couriers. They will often say that your package is being held due to unpaid fees or a problem with your address. They will then ask you to click on a link or call a phone number to resolve the issue.
If you are not expecting a package to be delivered, then it’s obviously a scam.
Watch out for urgent language.
Scammers may try to pressure you into paying a fee to get your package delivered. They may say that the package is being held in customs or that you need to pay a small fee to cover shipping costs.
Double check your deliveries.
Scammers may send you a fake tracking number that doesn’t work. This is a sure sign that the email or text is a scam.
Did you receive an email / WhatsApp / online order update with your tracking details, and do they match with the information in the fake email? If you are really not sure, grab the tracking code shared in these fake scams, then go to the courier delivery site manually via a search engine and check the tracking code there. If they don’t recognize the tracking code, it’s a scam.
What it looks like:
Here are some tips to help you avoid package scams:
- Don’t click on links in emails or texts from unknown senders.
- Don’t call phone numbers that are provided in emails or texts from unknown senders.
- Always check with the delivery company directly. If you receive an email or text about a package delivery, contact the delivery company directly to confirm the information.
- Don’t pay any fees or provide any personal information unless you are sure that the request is legitimate.
- Keep your software up to date. This will help to protect your computer from malware and phishing attacks.
- Report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
Confirmation from us
If you are not sure, you can always log into your account and look at your order notes.
Your order notes from us will ALWAYS be updated with the following:
Name of the courier company delivery your parcel
- Package Waybill Number
- Date on which the courier will collect your parcel from us
- Link to track your parcel. It will ALWAYS be: Bob Go – Track my parcel
We hope this has been useful!
It’s a shame we must dampen your holiday cheer to stay alert to these attempts to steal your money, but that’s the sad reality of the world we live in.
On the bright side, it’s far better to be wary of scams than to fall for one.
Stay safe this holiday season. x
