Crime & Safety

SCAM ALERT: Fraudsters Claiming To Be USPS Officials Seek Personal Info

The Postal Inspection Service wants you to be aware of fake emails and phone calls that are going around.

The following is a news release from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service: 

Recently, the Postal Inspection Service has received complaints from individuals nationwide related to fraudulent emails and phone calls. The caller is stating a package that was unable to be delivered. These emails and phone calls are attempting to gather personal identifying information.

The email, which claims to be from the U.S. Postal Service, includes a message related to an attempted or intercepted package delivery. The customer is told to click the link or open an attachment then print the label.

When opened, a malicious virus is installed on the computer. This virus could steal personal identifiers of the customer and compromise the customer’s information.

If a customer receives an email similar to the one described above, they should follow these steps:

  • Do not click on the link or open the attachment
  • Forward the email to spam@uspis.gov
  • Delete the email
Criminals are also contacting potential victims via the phone. When contacted, similar information is provided related to an attempted or intercepted package delivery. The caller attempts to obtain personal identifying information from the customer.

If a customer receives a phone call, they should follow these steps:
  • Do not provide any personal identifying information to the caller
  • Hang up 
  • Contact your local post office to verify the phone call
  • Contact the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455
The Postal Inspection Service is actively investigating these fraudulent emails and phone calls.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.