Attorney General Lynn Fitch today warned Mississippians to be aware of unsolicited “missed delivery” notification scams as they increase this holiday season.

“Sadly, the holiday season is a prime-time opportunity for scammers,” Fitch said.“Knowing consumers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of packages before the holiday, bad actors send unsolicited texts and emails urging you to click on a link to locate a missed or delayed delivery. Beware: this is likely a scam and you should not click on these links or provide any personal or financial information. One bad click could lead to malware, fraud and identity theft. Familiarize yourself with these common tactics to avoid these scams.”

Delivery scams start with a text message or an email about delivering a package to your address. These messages often include a “tracking link” that you are urged to click to update your delivery or payment preferences. You might also get a voicemail message with a call-back number, or a “missed delivery” tag on your door with a number to call.

How to spot and avoid fraudulent notifications:

• Unexpected requests for money in return for delivery of a package, often with a sense of urgency.
• Requests for personal and/or financial information.
• Links to misspelled or slightly altered website addresses, such as “fedx.com” or “fed-ex.com”
• Spelling and grammatical errors or excessive use of capitalization and exclamation points.
• Certificate errors or lack of online security protocols for sensitive activities.

If you receive suspicious emails or texts, do not click on the link. Go to the delivery carrier’s website directly or use the retailer’s tracking tools to verify the sender’s identity and avoid these scams.

The U.S. Postal Service has warned against any “unsolicited mobile text messages indicating that a USPS delivery is awaiting your action” and links to a non-Postal Service website.

In addition, both FedEx and UPS have reminded customers that they do not seek payment or personal information through unsolicited texts and emails.

To report fraud, scams, or deceptive business practices, contact the Attorney General’s Office at consumer@ago.ms.gov or click here to complete an online complaint form.