It’s an unfortunate truth that email scammers and internet hackers are becoming smarter continually, which makes it difficult for people to stay on the ball and protect themselves. We often see trends in email scamming as hackers move with the times and try to catch people unawares, often with devasting consequences for their victims.
In recent years, we’ve seen a rise in the number of email scams imitating couriers, with many of these pretending to come from trusted delivery services like DHL and FedEx. These email scams have taken several forms, including:
Encouraging customers to input delivery preferences
FedEx recently reported that their customers had been scammed by a fraudulent email asking them to update their delivery preferences via an attached link. Once the customers had clicked on the link, they were asked to input their credit card details which were then used to make unauthorised payments. Fortunately, FedEx was made aware of the scam quickly and they were able to warn their customers.
Requesting customers to pay the courier directly before their goods were shipped
In another recent case, DHL alerted its customers to an email scam that requested a delivery payment. The email requested that customers paid the courier service directly before their goods could be delivered, which DHL has denied is something they do. Unfortunately, once hackers have their victims’ credit card information, they can use it for online payments and other types of fraudulent activity.
Asking customers to click on fake arrival notifications
Another email scam targeting DHL sent customers a fake notification to alert them to the arrival of their parcel. Once the customers clicked on the notification, they were asked to log in to their DHL account. From here, the cybercriminals were able to scam their user data, including their usernames and passwords, allowing them to hack into other accounts and steal important information.
Phishing scams are often cleverly disguised, so it’s important that you don’t take any chances. Protect your inbox and your personal information by investing in an advanced spam filter, such as MailCleaner. Our software ensures that 99% of spam emails are blocked from your inbox and with a user-friendly interface, MailCleaner is the go-to software for all customers. For more information, browse our website today.