The government of India’s nodal agency PIB (Press Information Bureau) Fact Check has recently issued a warning against a new scam called India Post SMS scam.
Under this scam, India Post SMS sent a shady link, through this, it steals user’s sensitive information.
Taking to X, PIB posted,
‘Have you also received an SMS from @IndiaPostOffice stating that your package has arrived at the warehouse, further asking you to update your address details within 48 hours to avoid the package being returned #PIBFactCheck Beware! This message is #fake.’
What Is This Scam & What Is Their Modus Operandi?
In this scam, customers in their phones receive a message from fake India Post message.
The Message says,
‘Your package has arrived at the warehouse and we attempted delivery twice but were unable to due to incomplete address information. Please update your address within 48 hours, otherwise the package will be returned. In order to update the address click on the link [indisposegvs.top/IN]. After the update is complete, the package will be re-delivered within 24 hours.’
Once the user clicks on the link, Hackers attempt or get into user’s system by establishing viruses or what we call malicious software.
Thus, providing them access to sensitive and private data of users, which these negatives elements can utilize for bad purposes and in whichever way they want.
How It Be Prevented?
In order to prevent these incidents, PIB has asked users to not click on any shady or malicious clicks.
They also revealed, that ‘India Post never sends such messages asking for updating addresses for delivering articles.’
But in order to safeguard yourself from these scams, customers can verify sender’s authenticity by checking email address, phone number from where this message was sent or called etc.
If not able to verify from these ways, report this matter to authorities like PIB fact check or cyber police (1930 or check website cybercrime.gov.in). But ensure that your phones contain latest software.