That text from the post office could be a scam. How to avoid ‘smishing’ fraud

Postal Service vans parked outside a post office in Boys Town, Neb., in 2020. Consumers anxiously waiting for a package could be fooled by an unsolicited text message posing as a delivery update or request for account information from the post office. If you haven’t signed up for a USPS tracking request for a specific package, post office officials urge you not to click on the link or reply to the message. When an unknown phone number sends a deceptive text message that tries to bait you into responding with your personal or financial information, that scam is called “smishing.” “These scammers often attempt to disguise themselves as a government agency, bank, or other company to lend legitimacy to their claims,” according to the U.S. If you receive a text message from an unfamiliar number, from an agency for which you didn’t sign up for text alerts or that generally looks suspicious, it’s likely a scam, according to FCC officials.