BALTIMORE — Fake delivery notifications are flooding inboxes and phones this holiday season, with scammers posing as major shipping companies to steal personal information and money from unsuspecting shoppers.
As packages pile up on doorsteps across the country, criminals are taking advantage of the busy delivery season by sending convincing fake texts, emails and even making in-person visits demanding payment for packages that were never ordered.
A Maryland woman, who asked to be identified only as Renee, experienced this scam firsthand when a fake courier appeared at her Middle River home claiming to have an Amazon package for her.
"A man knocked on the door and my fiance answered. And he said he had a package for me, Amazon package, and I said, Really? So, you know, I thought what's coming? I didn't order anything. Who sent me something?" Renee said.
The box had an Amazon label, but the courier's demand for payment raised immediate red flags.
"He said, $9.28. I said, wow, I didn't know they had COD, but no, I didn't order anything. And my fiancee looked at the package. My name was on it and my address, and I told him, well, I didn't order anything and I don't remember anyone telling me they were sending me anything, so you're going to have to take that back. I'm not going to pay for that. And he just took off," Renee said.
After the suspicious encounter, Renee contacted police and filed a report. She also called Amazon, who confirmed they don't collect payment at the door in the United States.
An Amazon spokesperson said scammers that attempt to impersonate Amazon put consumers at risk and encouraged consumers to report suspected scams.
Clay Campbell, director of marketing for the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, said delayed package notifications requesting extra fees are typically major red flags for common scams.
"A delayed package, if you get a notification saying you need to cover an extra fee that's typically a big red flag, really common scam," Campbell said.
Campbell advises consumers to take a breath, pause and go directly to the shipping provider with tracking information provided straight from the original retailer.
Renee warns that while someone might pay a small fee just to see what's in a mystery box, consumers should be skeptical of unexpected delivery charges.
"And if it's a present, then normally your family would pay for that postage, you know, who wants to receive a present and then have to pay for it? No, no uh uh," Renee said.
To stay organized during the busy holiday shipping season, experts recommend saving all order confirmation emails in a separate folder. If you receive a delivery message you're unsure about, you can reference the original email and verify tracking information directly from the retailer. USPS also offers Informed Delivery, a free service customers can use to get email notifications of what mail they can expect to receive and when.
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