UPS ‘unpaid fee’ scam targets some Mississauga and Brampton residents
Published April 15, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Residents should beware a UPS-related text scam, particularly those who are waiting on a delivery.
A local resident says he was recently targeted by a scam that addressed him by his full name and told him he had an “unpaid customs fee” linked to his postal code.
The text looks like this (personal information blacked out):
The text is a scam and residents are advised not to reply or click the link.
“These fraudulent communications are the unauthorized actions of third parties not associated with UPS. If UPS contacts you regarding a package, the UPS representative will always be able to provide a tracking number, which you can verify on our website,” says UPS.
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“You also should know that UPS may contact you from time to time regarding service offerings or for marketing purposes, but you may always verify our phone number and call back before proceeding.”
Residents are advised not to respond to suspicious messages like these, as they may be used by scammers to attempt to steal personal data or financial information. Any reply will also indicate to scammers that your number is active.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which keeps track of major scams and fraud throughout the country, advises residents to never share personal information with unverified people or groups such as your name, address, birth date, social insurance number, and credit card or banking information.
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