Postal Service Warns of Fake Delivery Notices

The U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General published a warning Monday regarding “bogus emails” from bad actors posing as USPS.

The spam emails entice readers to click a link or attachment, which installs a computer virus that steals personal information.

“In today’s world of package tracking and interconnectivity, an email from the U.S. Postal Service or even our Inspector General regarding mail delivery might seem legitimate,” a blog post on the IG’s site said. “That’s what the scammers want you to think.”

According to the post, the emails are usually regarding an attempted or intercepted package delivery or online postage charges. They contain links or attachments that, when opened, install the virus.

Customers who receive any suspicious-looking emails should not click on any links or open the attachments.

“Like most viruses sent by email, doing so will activate a virus that can steal information—such as your user name, password, and financial account information,” the post said. “Simply delete the message without taking any further action.”

The IG also recommends reporting suspicious emails to the agency’s hotline.

In a separate but similar post released earlier this month, USPS said the Postal Inspection Service is working diligently to stop these emails and protect users’ information.

When asked what prompted the latest blog post, a representative from the USPS IG’s office told Nextgov that there is “no significance or correlation to the timing of the post.”