How the scam works:
You receive an e-mail claiming to be from your national Post office (US Postal Service, Canada Post, Australia Post, Royal Mail, etc) informing you that you need to pick up a package with your name on it. You are also told that if you do not collect the parcel in time, you will pay a storage fee. A phone number or a link is provided for you to confirm a pick up or schedule a delivery.
To make sure they have contacted the right person, they require you to provide pieces of identification, such as a passport number, address, Social Security Number, and all the personal data that they can get from you (including a credit card number as their is a small charge for the delivery of the parcel).
Indeed, this scam will leave you with nothing if you really believe you are going to be sent a suitcase that you never lost. The scammers send these messages to thousands of people and they know there will always be a few who get confused and think it might really be their package.
How to avoid:
If you are in doubt, call the Post office yourself, but not on the number you are provided in the e-mail. Look online for the real number or – even better – pay a visit to a store near you.
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