AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In the thick of the holiday season, many of us are ordering gifts online and mailing out packages left and right. But what should you do if you receive a suspicious-looking text claiming to be from the United States Postal Service?
Some KXAN employees received texts this week claiming to be from the USPS. The texts claimed a package couldn't be delivered due to incomplete or improper addresses, before urging recipients to click the included link to correct the information.
KXAN shared those texts with the USPS, with officials saying they were investigating the incident. Fraudulent text schemes aren't new issues the postal service is dealing with.
A USPS spokesperson with the Houston division urged people to be mindful of "phishing" attempts, or the fraudulent practice of sending emails or messages claiming to be from a specific company or organization. Oftentimes, those messages seek recipients to share personal information (such as credit card numbers or passwords) or to click on an external link.
"As the holidays roll in, the Postal Inspection Service wants you to know we are on the job, working to protect you and your mail and packages," the spokesperson said in part. "Phishing emails and smishing texts may appear to be from the U.S. Postal Service but are scams targeting your cash and information."
Those "smishing" attempts are similar to phishing emails but instead are messages sent via texts.
USPS is advising people to not click on any links included and to block the sender behind any fraudulent texts or emails. Those texts should also be deleted, but recipients can also report phishing emails to spam@uspis.gov, and texts can be sent to 7726.
The postal service added the agency doesn't send "unsolicited text messages." Those interested in receiving legitimate status updates about incoming and outgoing packages and mail can sign up for USPS' Informed Delivery service.
