Email Scam Alert: FedEx Package Undelivered

Expecting a FedEx delivery? Watch out for a new email phishing scam. FedEx released a Fraudulent Email Alert on its site on June 12 warning consumers about the latest cyber threat, describing how the scam works and how to protect yourself if you’ve been a target.

It’s not the first time scammers have impersonated FedEx emails and it probably won’t be the last, but it’s important to spread the word. This type of email scam can result in computer viruses, identity theft or can even empty your bank account.

Here’s how the scam works and how you can protect yourself:

Phishing Email Spoofs FedEx

According to the FedEx, this scam email attempts to trick victims into clicking a fraudulent link. Using a tactic known as spoofing, the email copies FedEx’s iconic color scheme and mimics its company logo to look more official.

FedEx phishing email, June 12 2013.

As transcribed, the phishing email states:

Dear Client,

Your parcel has arrived at May 21. Courier was unable to deliver the parcel to you.

To receive your parcel, print this label and go to the nearest office.

Print Shipment Label

Although the FedEx site is unclear about the specific threat associated with the Print Shipment Label link, it most likely prompts victims to download a virus or visit a fake website designed to steal private information.

Protect Yourself: Learn to Recognize the Signs of Email Fraud

The best way to protect yourself from this fraudulent email is to spot the red flags. Learn to identify a phishing scam so you won’t click any harmful links or download malicious attachments.

Learn to spot the red flags and protect yourself.

Here are some important warning signs to look for:

1. A different return email address.

Note how the false FedEx email is sent by “Logistic Services” from “message_id93 [at] diversejobpost.com”. If the message was legitimate, this email would come from a customer service address with a fedex.com domain.

2. Phishing emails rarely use your real name or username.

This one says “Dear Client,” not “Dear John” or “Dear Jane.” A generic salutation is always a warning sign. Remember, real companies have your information on file — they’ll address you by your real name, or at least the username you’ve created to log into their site.

3. Sloppy details, bad grammar and/or poor spelling.

Companies like FedEx are no poets, but their customer service emails will use better writing than “Your parcel has arrived at May 21.” If you look closely at the above screen shot, you’ll also notice there’s a comma in the middle of the FedEx logo.

4. Unsolicited email attachments and/or requests for private information.

Remember, companies will never send unsolicited emails requesting private information like your password, account numbers, mailing address or other personal info. Never reply to a random email with any private information!

Never download an attachment or click a link in an email until you’ve examined it closely. Scammers are relying on the fact that we’re often distracted and may overlook the small details.

What to Do If You Get a Phishing Email

If you receive this email, or any FedEx email that seems suspicious, forward it to [email protected] but do not click any links, download any attachments or reply to the sender. (Most cyber scammers send these emails at random, so if you reply, you’ve just verified that your email address works and you may receive even more phishing scams.)

We also recommend running a full scan with your antivirus software, just in case, and flagging the message in your email client. This will help your spam filter block future messages.

Need help resolving a cyber complaint? Click here to submit a free report on Scambook.

See Also

4 Tips That Explain How To Avoid Phishing Scams and Email Spam
Beware “Reshipping” Job Scam on Sites like Craigslist, LinkedIn and CareerBuilder
New eBay Buy-It-Now Scam Targets Sellers with Fake PayPal Email