Postal Service warns of 'smishing,' other holiday scams

The Postal Service is warning of “smishing” and other scams this year as millions of Americans prepare to celebrate various holidays.

“While the holiday season offers merriment, joy, and togetherness, fraudsters and their scams can dim the season,” the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Postal Service’s federal law enforcement arm, said on a webpage about holiday scams on its website.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to helping Postal Service customers avoid trending scams throughout the holidays and all year long, so you can avoid being ‘snowed’ by counterfeit postage, phishing and smishing scams, or mail and package theft,” they added.

On the holiday scams webpage, the USPIS gave Americans warnings about the rising amount “of counterfeit stamps being sold online,” people getting “emails (phishing) or texts (smishing) that often contain either a fake URL or a file that, if opened, can activate a virus” and those intending to steal packages, such as gifts during the holiday season.

The USPIS also gave tips on how to avoid scams on their information page, including describing how counterfeit stamps are sold so people can be on the lookout for them, having their computer and cellphone software up to date and choosing to use signature confirmation for deliveries.