Government warns about India’s ‘dangerous’ SMS Post: Tips to avoid this new courier scam
A message claiming to be from India Post is circulating via SMS, asking users to update their address details. PIB Fact Check has verified that these messages are fake and warns users to remain vigilant.
Reality check PIB posted on X confirmed the fakeness of the message and advised caution. The post read: “Did you receive an SMS from @IndiaPostOffice stating your package has arrived at the warehouse and asking you to update your address within 48 hours to avoid returns? #PIBFactCheck News This message is #fake.”
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Fact check PIB clarifies that India Post does not send messages requesting address updates for package delivery. Users are advised not to click on phishing links.
The scam message has the following content:
“Your package has arrived at the warehouse and we tried to deliver it twice but could not deliver due to incomplete address information. Please update your address within 48 hours, otherwise the package will returned. Please click the link indisposegvs.top/IN to update your package address. Once updated, the package will be sent back within 24 hours.”
To protect yourself from SMS fraud, consider these tips:
- Don’t trust messages from unknown numbers, especially messages that create a sense of urgency.
- If a message claims to be from a legitimate company, contact the company directly through verified phone numbers or websites, not those provided in the message.
- Avoid clicking links in suspicious texts. Instead, manually enter the website address if necessary.
- Don’t share personal or financial information via text message.
- Report any suspicious text immediately.
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Additionally, follow these steps to protect yourself from online scams:
1. Use trusted apps like CERTIn’s “Fraud Alert”, NCSAP’s “mSafe” and Google’s “Anti-Phishing App” to receive real-time security alerts and advice.
2. Be cautious when sharing personal information online. Avoid providing sensitive information to unfamiliar sources.
3. Be suspicious of unsolicited requests for personal data.
4. Download apps from official app stores only.
5. Regularly update your software to benefit from security patches.
6. Ignore free gift offers from unknown individuals and verify the source before making online payments.
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Be aware and take these precautions to protect yourself from scams.
