Australia Post Warns Users about Scam Email

Cnet.com reported on 6th August, 2014 stating that Australia Post has asked customers to avoid a fake 'courier' email scam purporting to charge recipients for uncollected parcels.

Customers reported about the email in July (2014) informing them that "a courier did not deliver" a parcel to the customer's address and that Australia Post "will have the right to claim compensation" for storing the unclaimed package.

The email also contains links to "download information" about the undelivered parcel along with links to unsubscribe which security experts think that these were links to phishing sites.

Officials of Australia Post highlighted that the email was sent from different addresses like infor@aus-post.info, info@auspost.biz, info@aust-post.com, info@aus-post.biz, info@aut-post.com and info@aust-post.net.

Australia Post informed recipients that it does not charge customers to collect packages or to store their parcels and advised recipients to delete the email without any response.

A Spokesperson of Australia Post said that this scam is similar to one which targeted customers in February 2014. Computerworld.com.au published news on 4th August, 2014 stating that the email asked customers to send money for printing labels for parcel.

The Spokesperson added: "If you have been victimized by the scam, please call the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on 1300 795 995 and report the matter to SCAMwatch."

Security experts comment that alarmingly Australians are not the only Internauts of the world who have been attacked by scammers.

U.S. Postal Service, the national postal service of America, warned its users in August, 2013 about scam emails which informed them about a package not getting delivered at their doorstep.

One version of that email spells the word "couldn't" wrongly as "Our courier couldnt make the delivery of parcel to you..."

Chicago.cbslocal.com published a report on 26th August, 2013 quoting Julie Kenney, Spokesperson of Postal Inspection Service as saying "The logo indicates that the email is from the U.S Postal service but it's actually a scam."

Kenney says that the scam email asked users to click on a link and "print label and show it to the nearest post office" but if you click on the link, the scammers will gain access to your personal information like account numbers.

» SPAMfighter News - 8/12/2014