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You chose incorrectly

Allow us to point out what gives this away as the wrong choice.

  • Odd Sender: Anytime a phone number is extra long and not formatted how you’re used to seeing automated texts, don’t trust it.
  • Fishy Subject: Does the content of the message seem off? “Missing address information?” If the address information was missing from a package, it would automatically be returned to the sender. The shipping company would not text you for the rest of the address.
    • The second thing to ask yourself is: “Did I order a package recently?” In the age of online ordering, you may have. It can be beneficial to consider what courier delivery companies you normally receive packages from: FedEx, USPS, UPS, etc. If you don’t normally receive packages from the USPS, that can also be a red flag.
    • NEVER reply to a suspicious text.
  • Clock’s Ticking: “Please confirm your address within 12 hours using the link below.” If a text, email, or anything is telling you that you have a very short window… or else: it’s a scam.
    • If something is asking for your address, you need to vet the legitimacy of the requester thoroughly.
    • Giving out your address purposefully, or accidentally, to a cyber criminal could result in a plethora of horrible situations. They could potentially gain access to certain accounts of yours if they have your login information from breaches; they could send potentially dangerous packages to your address; or they could even visit your home. NEVER give out your address to out-of-the-blue requests.
  • Suspicious Link: By now, any link that doesn’t begin and end normally should be a red flag.
    • This link begins somewhat legitimate, then falls off on the backend with “emkoplmh.”
    • Navigate to a web browser, search the posed entity, and find their official site to verify.