This week, we’ve found lots of instances of scammers impersonating famous brands, including USPS, UPS, DHL, and Booking.com. Would you have been able to spot all these scams?   

Phishing Scams 

Under various pretenses and posing as trusted brands, scammers spread fake text messages or emails that contain phishing links to try to trick you. These links lead to phishing sites designed to record your personally identifiable information (PII), for example, your email address, credit card number, Social Security number, and even more.  

Why are scammers so obsessed with your PII? Well, with it, they can drain your bank account, steal your identity, or commit any number of other crimes. 

Delivery Scams (USPS, UPS, and DHL) 

In some cases, scammers love to impersonate delivery companies and send fake delivery notifications that instruct you to click on the attached phishing link to update your delivery details. Most often, these links will take you to a fake tracking page where you could eventually expose your PII: 

#1 – Fake USPS Texts (fokups[.]com) 

We’ve reported on USPS phishing texts many times before, and this week there are still a lot of fake USPS websites out there. Below is the content of a sample bogus USPS text notification:  

USPS:The courier cannot deliver your package because the address does not match, please confirm the correct address again: 

Falsely claiming that you need to confirm your delivery address, scammers try to trick you into clicking on the attached link that takes you to a fake tracking page: 

On the phishing page you will be asked to fill out a lot of PII. There are NO items out for delivery, and your data will end up in scammers’ hands. Be careful! 

More scam USPS URLs: 

• Uspsgift[.]com 
• Usps[.]intertrck[.]com 

(Note: the web address of the legitimate USPS website is usps.com) 

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#2 – UPS Phishing Texts 

Fake UPS texts are also one of the most reoccurring delivery scams. Scammers pretend to be from UPS and send phishing links that they want you to click on: 

Your Parcel Has Been Updated  Redelivery schedule required. Please visit: <URL> Update your delivery address in next 24 hours before your parcel returned.  Kind Regards, 

On the phishing page, you will be instructed to enter credit card details as well as other PII to pay the delivery fee. As you know, scammers will gain access to these credentials and use them for their own good. Don’t let them! (Note: the legitimate UPS website is ups.com) 

#3 – DHL Phishing Emails 

Besides text messages, delivery scams also often come in the form of phishing emails. Below is an example:  

The scammers want you to click on the button to track your package, which will lead you to a fake DHL page. Don’t fall for the scam and NEVER submit any PII here! (Note: the genuine DHL website is dhl.com) 

Fake Hotel Booking Websites 

Aside from delivery companies, scammers also love to impersonate hotel booking websites to trick you, especially during the summer vacation period. Recently we wrote about copycat Airbnb and Booking.com websites, but there are hundreds of new fake URLs popping up every day: 

Sample URLs of fake hotel booking  websites: 

• premium-trial[.]info 
• airbnb[.]hosting-inbox[.]com 

(Note: The real web addresses are Airbnb.com and Booking.com) 

As we’ve stressed several times, scammers could access your PII entered onto these fake websites. Watch out! 

Tips to Stay Safe Online   

• Double-check the sender’s mobile number and email address. Even if it seems legitimate, think twice before you take any action.         
• Only use official websites and apps. Never click on dubious links! 
• Check if any of your PII has been leaked and secure your social media accounts using Trend Micro ID Protection.   
• Finally, add an extra layer of protection to your devices with Trend Micro Maximum Security. Its Web Threat Protection, Ransomware Protection, Anti-phishing, and Anti-spam Protection will help you combat scams and cyberattacks. 

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