New scam?

[jim584672]

Who dares call that number? Come on, people think of the adventure.

 

[Car-Guy]

I was thinking/agree that this could be considered mail fraud, which is a serious offense with serious penalties. But I guess many of the spam phone calls folks get could be considered wire fraud too and the perpetrators don't seem to care about that either. I wonder how they avoid prosecution? Do they originate from outside the US, nobody is following up, or what? I mean a lot of this stuff should be traceable.

 

[scrabbler1]

I get these as emails all the time "we are holding your package in our warehouse because we need your shipping information" Most show a box with a label like yours did. The give away is usually the email address. Received one today from USPS that had a hotmail address.

I visit the "Scams" SubReddit a lot and this text gets posted there a dozen times every DAY from visitors who get this and wonder if it is a scam. Some of them actually fall for it, clicking on the link (which may introduce malware to their phone or PC) and possibly entering CC info. The phone number the text is sent from is often a foreign country such as England or somewhere in Asia. Like the USPS is going to text someone (they can't, unless the user requested it) from overseas?

These scam emails often include the USPS logo but have ridiculous links and sender's emails, if the message arrived that way, sometimes from hotmail, sometimes from gmail.

 

[Aerides]

I would report to the USPS because it is mail fraud.

Yes, this. It's the equivalent of any one of a dozen spam emails we all get, but more disturbing and more likely to "catch" some unsuspecting folks.

Definitely a scam, but the USPS should be aware.

 

[Dash man]

Take it to your local post office and give it to the Postmaster. They can get it to the Postal Inspector for investigation.

 

[pacergal]

Report to postoffice, then shred.

 

[Rianne]

I've had at least 5 USPS scam e-mails requesting a corrected address for delivery. Anything similar in snail mail goes in the trash.

https://www.alphamountain.ai/usps-phishing-scam/

 

[Sojourner]

Yes, but coming from "this office" and "headquarters for all parcels"? Give me a break!

Yep, the oddly worded phrasing is usually a dead giveaway for stuff like this. For example, "2nd notice!" instead of "This is your second and final notice".

 

[rk911]

In my mailbox today was a "postcard" size notice that I have a parcel being held for some reason (2nd notice). I have no parcels coming outside of an Amazon delivery. This postcard has a real stamp on it and the address label (covered by me) is a stick on label with my name and address along with a parcel number.

Oh, I never got a first notice!

Thoughts on this being a scam?

View attachment 47288

looks scammy to me. it's NOT a USPS notice. If it was you'd be advised to pick up the item at your local PO, not call a number. Shred it.

 

[CaptTom]

I wonder if the scam is to get active phone numbers they can call with other scams. Seems it's a pretty good way to weed out the skeptical. For the price of a few post cards and stamps, they get a very marketable list of names and phone numbers of gullible people.

I thought about calling them myself, just to see the scam in operation first hand. Of course I'd have to use a burner VOIP number, so I'd have to be pretty bored to go there.

 

[JoeWras]

I wonder if the scam is to get active phone numbers they can call with other scams. Seems it's a pretty good way to weed out the skeptical. For the price of a few post cards and stamps, they get a very marketable list of names and phone numbers of gullible people.

I thought about calling them myself, just to see the scam in operation first hand. Of course I'd have to use a burner VOIP number, so I'd have to be pretty bored to go there.

I'm sure it is a primary scam to get a credit card payment. Like I mentioned, the target may even get a little piece of junk (like something from TEMU) and not even realize they were scammed.

The secondary scam is always to boost the "gullible factor" in the dark web database and harvest whatever other information the mark gives up.

 

[gauss]

I don't think there is anything fradulent/criminal by sending this postcard in and of itself.
They don't claim to be the USPS and they may indeed deliver a parcel to you, of some sort as others have suggest, if you call them.

Now if they do something illegal with any of the information that you reveal during a call, that would be a different story.

I get all sorts of deceptive looking "official" envelopes in the mail, but I can always tell that it is marketing mail by some of the terminology they use -- In this case it was about calling "headquarters".

I suspect that they might try to sell you a timeshare or let you know that you "won" a vacation.

-gauss

 

[CaptTom]

I don't think there is anything fradulent/criminal by sending this postcard in and of itself...

True, but it's still a scam. I can just about guarantee it's not a legitimate delivery service trying to deliver a package someone else sent.

There always seems to be a debate about the definition of "scam." To me, it only has to be dishonest, not necessarily illegal. Anyway, in this case it's highly likely the next step will break some law or other.

This isn't marketing. This isn't a business. It's a con game.

 

[Badger]

The stamp could easily be a counterfeit that are reproduced by the thousands for pennies. And yes they can make it through the scanners. Don't rely on a stamp.

Cheers!

 

[aja8888]

The stamp could easily be a counterfeit that are reproduced by the thousands for pennies. And yes they can make it through the scanners. Don't rely on a stamp.

Cheers!

So if we are buying sheets of U.S. postage stamps on Amazon, TEMU or eBay, they may be made in China?

 

[CardsFan]

So if we are buying sheets of U.S. postage stamps on Amazon, TEMU or eBay, they may be made in China?

Isn't this kinda like buying a Rolex at a Moroccan bazar?

 

[aja8888]

Isn't this kinda like buying a Rolex at a Moroccan bazar?

I'm just wondering who is making counterfeit postage stamps like referenced in a post above by Badger.

 

[Badger]

So if we are buying sheets of U.S. postage stamps on Amazon, TEMU or eBay, they may be made in China?

That is my understanding. Especially if they are at a reduced price. I think presently the Forever stamps cost $.66 each but to avoid knock offs they would have to be bought at USPS or Costco and maybe a few other places but not Amazon or eBay.

Cheers!

 

[audreyh1]

That is my understanding. Especially if they are at a reduced price. I think presently the Forever stamps cost $.66 each but to avoid knock offs they would have to be bought at USPS or Costco and maybe a few other places but not Amazon or eBay.

Cheers!

Yeah, I was wondering who would be selling US current unmarked postage stamps on eBay or Amazon.

 

[CardsFan]

Yeah, I was wondering who would be selling US current unmarked postage stamps on eBay or Amazon.

My question is, who would be buying?

 

[Sunset]

Here is an example of Customs accidently discovering counterfeit stamps.

They were shipped from China. Shipping overseas is almost free.

https://www.geekseller.com/blog/counterfeit-stamp-scams-on-the-rise-beware-of-fake-usps-stamps/#:~:text=Recently%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Customs%20and%20Border%20Protection%20%28CBP%29,packages%20that%20were%20manifested%20as%20%E2%80%9Chand%20account%2Fself-adhesive%20sheets.%E2%80%9D

 

[swakyaby]

Who dares call that number? Come on, people think of the adventure.

Ok, my brother received one like this last week and fell for it, assuming it was from a legitimate parcel delivery service, but didn’t notice that this “Final Notice” wasn’t specifically mentioning USPS or UPS. So he called the number, and . . . the person answering was a salesman attempting to sell a water softening service or something like that.

 

[Sunset]

Ok, my brother received one like this last week and fell for it, assuming it was from a legitimate parcel delivery service, but didn’t notice that this “Final Notice” wasn’t specifically mentioning USPS or UPS. So he called the number, and . . . the person answering was a salesman attempting to sell a water softening service or something like that.

I had a similar issue where my Sister nearly fell for a scam email. I think it's a natural human reaction.
Get a notice/email and automatically think back a few days to "oh yeah I ordered something".

I've notice I was nearly caught by a scam because of thinking it was related to some action I had done in the past few days..

 

[tenant13]

You gotta love the “Headquarters for all parcels”. I would personally take this to the “Department of Paper Mail” and make them aware of the scam.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Someone should call the number. I'll bet the person who answers has an Indian accent.