Dont fall for the dubious parcel trick
Published: 06:08 PM,Aug 07,2023 | EDITED : 12:08 AM,Aug 08,2023
If you get calls from couriers companies informing that you have an undelivered package due to unpaid customs fees. Hang up. A wave of courier service scams are being reported in Oman and the rest of the Middle East. Con artists are employing deceptive tactics to swindle money or reveal bank card details, according to IT security firm Kaspersky. In some countries, victims get calls from ‘officials’ asking for bank details, accusing you of sending packages with illegal items or claiming you can transfer money to clear your name,
A number of people in Oman have said that they have received emails or phone calls from fake courier services. Some of them smelled the trouble while others paid the money.
'I sent the money to the account sent to me for a parcel believing that the first payment didn't get through,' a private sector employee said.
Khalil Akel, an employee with a global courier company, was taken aback to know that 'senders' who have supposedly sent some parcels did not do so.
'Many whom I contacted after receiving a parcel confessed to me that they weren't expecting any parcel and that they were totally clueless,' Akel said.
To create a sense of urgency, the email urges users to click on a provided link for further instructions. When users click on the link, they are redirected to a fraudulent website masquerading as a legitimate courier service portal.
and prompted to give their bank card credentials.
When contacted, the courier companies functioning in the country have said that any email demanding money against a parcel should be verified.
'At a time when people are receiving surprise gifts from their dear and near ones, such frauds become widespread,' said Naushad Sulaiman, MD of ATS Courier Service.
'One should be alert in case of such emails or calls. Call the customer service to verify before taking any steps. People have a duty to be safe and secure. The best thing one can do is to demand Air Way Bill and verify it's authenticity on the website,' says Sulaiman.
“The use of courier services continues to grow amid increasing eCommerce. The sad reality is that cybercriminals see this as an opportunity to trick people with scam and phishing mails,” says Roman Dedenok, a spam analysis expert at Kaspersky.
One must watch out as scammers often try to evoke fear, excitement, or urgency, to manipulate recipients into taking impulsive actions. Take a step back and analyse how the email makes you feel. This can be key to identifying and avoiding phishing scams effectively, according to Dedenok.
A number of people in Oman have said that they have received emails or phone calls from fake courier services. Some of them smelled the trouble while others paid the money.
'I sent the money to the account sent to me for a parcel believing that the first payment didn't get through,' a private sector employee said.
Khalil Akel, an employee with a global courier company, was taken aback to know that 'senders' who have supposedly sent some parcels did not do so.
'Many whom I contacted after receiving a parcel confessed to me that they weren't expecting any parcel and that they were totally clueless,' Akel said.
To create a sense of urgency, the email urges users to click on a provided link for further instructions. When users click on the link, they are redirected to a fraudulent website masquerading as a legitimate courier service portal.
and prompted to give their bank card credentials.
When contacted, the courier companies functioning in the country have said that any email demanding money against a parcel should be verified.
'At a time when people are receiving surprise gifts from their dear and near ones, such frauds become widespread,' said Naushad Sulaiman, MD of ATS Courier Service.
'One should be alert in case of such emails or calls. Call the customer service to verify before taking any steps. People have a duty to be safe and secure. The best thing one can do is to demand Air Way Bill and verify it's authenticity on the website,' says Sulaiman.
“The use of courier services continues to grow amid increasing eCommerce. The sad reality is that cybercriminals see this as an opportunity to trick people with scam and phishing mails,” says Roman Dedenok, a spam analysis expert at Kaspersky.
One must watch out as scammers often try to evoke fear, excitement, or urgency, to manipulate recipients into taking impulsive actions. Take a step back and analyse how the email makes you feel. This can be key to identifying and avoiding phishing scams effectively, according to Dedenok.