A popular tactic by scammers has triggered an alert from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The newest scam uses text messages that include false package delivery notices and a fraudulent link that will request credit card and personal information.
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The messages claim a package is pending delivery and requests recipients to “claim ownership," according to the alert.
If you receive a suspicious text message, the alert advises you to take the following steps:
- Do not click on any links.
- Do not respond to the message, share the message, or give out any personal, financial or identifying information.
- Delete the message and block the number that sent the message.
- Report the phone number and message contents to the Office of the Attorney General or the Federal Trade Commission.
Major shipping companies, including Amazon, DHL, FedEx and UPS do not use text messaging services to contact consumers.
“Unsolicited text messages, particularly those containing unfamiliar links or purporting to come from a company you have not contacted first, should always be treated with caution,” according to the alert.
Any suspected fraud can be reported to the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-621-0508 or by filing an online complaint here.
