CHARLESTON W.Va. (WVDN) — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey urges consumers to be extra cautious if they receive emails or text messages about an undeliverable package.
The advice comes as part of the Attorney General’s Holiday Consumer Protection Week.
“Online shopping is convenient and brings many retailers to our fingertips,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Scammers will try to take advantage of increased online commerce during the holiday season so consumers should be extra cautious if they receive notifications about an undeliverable package.”
When you buy something online, retailers typically send several notification emails or texts about your order including an order confirmation email, a shipping notification, and when your package has been delivered.
Scammers try to take advantage of consumers by sending fake emails or texts with a message about an undeliverable package and that in order to get your shipment, you should click on a link to provide more information. Fraudsters could also send a message that your purchase is ready to ship but you need to update your shipping preferences.
One tactic these scammers use is making the messages sound urgent by saying if you don’t respond quickly, your package will be returned to the sender.
What should consumers do if they receive a message like this? Here are a few tips to protect your personal identifiable information and banking information:
- If a message tells you to click on a link to update your information, do not click the link.
- If you think it could be about a purchase you have recently made, go to the website where you made your order and check the status of your shipment.
- If you think the message could be legitimate, contact the shipping company using a phone number or website you know is real. Do not rely on the information in the message.
This scam surfaces throughout the year but is especially prevalent during the busy holiday season. When you contact the scammer, they will ask for verification of your accounts or other identification to be able to access your account. No matter what time of year it is, consumers need to take precautions to protect their personal information.
In addition, packages arrive at doors more frequently during the holiday shopping season because of the popularity of online shopping. Thieves have been known to pilfer packages from porches, so it is important for consumers to take precautions.
Consumers should consider having packages shipped to their workplace or to a trusted neighbor’s house instead of allowing packages to be left unattended at home. Consumers can also opt to have their packages shipped to a local post office or authorized FedEx or UPS locations for pick up.
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a scam should contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808 or file a complaint online at www.ago.wv.gov.
