What to Know
- If you receive an unsolicited text telling you that your package can’t be delivered, do not interact with it.
- A USPS text scam can only harm you if you willingly provide personal information.
- You can avoid a USPS text scam by checking the sender, the URL, and the spelling and grammar.
USPS text scams are becoming more and more common lately. You’ve probably received a text recently saying that your package is being held at a warehouse because it can’t be delivered for one reason or another. The text might even provide a URL to a website that looks exactly like the United States Postal Service website. However, these texts are almost always a scam. Let’s go over how to avoid falling for these USPS scam texts.
Jump To:
- How to Avoid USPS Text Scam
- How to Identify a Fake Text Message
- Frequently Asked Questions about USPS Scam Texts
How to Avoid USPS Text Scam
Whenever you receive a USPS scam text, do not interact with it. Don’t reply to the text, and definitely don’t click on any links. The best thing you can do is simply ignore the text because the sender won’t be able to do anything if you don’t give them any information.
USPS text scams are referred to as “smishing,” which is essentially phishing through an SMS text message. The only way a smishing text can harm you is if you text back or willingly provide them personal details or financial information. For more iPhone security and safety advice, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter.
How to Identify a Fake Text Message
When it comes to the USPS text scam, there are a couple of easy ways to quickly figure out if it’s real or fake:
- Check the sender. If the sender is an email address or if you notice that it’s been sent as an iMessage instead of a text message, it’s definitely fake. The USPS sends texts over SMS, not iMessage.
![iphone text message with sender and iMessage identifier circled in red]()
- The URL is another dead giveaway. The only official USPS website is USPS.com. If the text is advising you to visit any other URL, it’s a scam.
![iphone text message with a url in the body of the message circled in red]()
- Lastly, you can check the spelling and grammar to identify a fake text. An official text from the USPS will most certainly use proper spelling and grammar.
![iphone text message with a poorly worded passage from the body of the message, which reads, "Please reply to 1, then exit the SMS, open the SMS activation link againor copy the link to Safari browser and open it"]()
When in doubt, check the USPS text tracking FAQs for examples of what official texts from the USPS look like to help you identify if the text is real or fake.
FAQ
Does USPS send text messages? The USPS will only text you if you have already registered to receive text messages about a specific package on the tracking page. You will only receive texts about that specific package, not any others. If you have not registered to receive text updates about your package, then the USPS will not text you.
What happens if you click on a smishing text? In most cases, you should be safe to open text messages. As long as you don’t text back or interact with the message, the sender can’t do anything to you.
