Package scams are probably yet another variant in the general class of advance fee fraud. Packages, as well as various gift and lottery, scams have been around for quite a while, but they really picked up during the pandemic, when everybody was ordering things online. Online ordering, and delivery services, are still quite active, and so package scams are still around.
I have a possible advantage over the scammers, in regard to package scams. At one time I did a lot of reviewing of technical books, and so I was receiving an awful lot of packages, of books, through the mail, or via the various delivery services. Therefore, I was more aware than most people of the announcements that you would, and would not, receive from delivery services, and so I was more able to identify the variations that indicated that something was a scam.
As with any advance fee fraud, there is the promise of a benefit to come, dependent upon you paying some kind of fee in advance. In the case of packages, or the free gifts mentioned earlier, the fee is generally fairly small. Usually, package scams are a kind of a one-off fraud, rather than the ongoing requests for a constant stream of fees or assistance that are part of the classic advance fee fraud. However, it is possible that some of the package scams may involve an initial small fee, perhaps five or ten dollars, and only later report that you need to pay extra taxes or duty.
Package scams very often come via text, rather than email. In this case, it offers us a bit of a twofer, in terms of red flags. The first message is for a delivery scam. How do we know? Well, Canada Post isn't likely to host its rescheduling Website in Hong Kong (.hk). So that's one indication, for a start. However, as chance would have it, these particular scammers seem to be involved in a number of different scams. You'll notice that both messages came from the same number, and one is for a completely different scam (threatening that you have not paid your Disney+ account).
These texts didn't come from the same number: this is from my reporting of spam to a research account. However, you can see that there are a variety of package scam attempts: one purportedly from Canada Post, one from DHL, and one unnamed. Notice also one mention of a "border fee."
I really love this one. They've put a bit of thought into the social engineering: in order to prove that they actually have a package for you, they've sent you a *picture* of it! Relatively few people would think to question the fact that the picture isn't clear enough to indicate who sent it, or to whom it is addressed. I mean, it's not possible that someone just took a picture of *any* package and sent it to you, is it?
Introduction and ToC: https://fibrecookery.blogspot.com/2026/02/online-scams-frauds-and-other-attacks.html
Next: TBA
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