MICHIGAN, USA — The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Western Michigan recently released tips for helping shoppers protect their packages during the busy holiday season.
According to the BBB, a study shows that package thieves stole more than $18 billion in merchandise over the last year.
In addition to this, scammers are now using fake shipping notifications for packages, hoping to steal personal information and money.
The BBB listed six main tips to keep in mind now and even after the holidays are over to protect your information and your packages.
- Keep track of your deliveries.
- Scammers will send you fake shipping texts in hopes you'll assume they're for a package you ordered recently without double-checking.
- It's harder to be fooled if you know what packages you're expecting, who you're expecting them from and when they're expected to be delivered.
- Pay attention to the message sender.
- Delivery companies never contact you with unsolicited calls or texts.
- Depending on how you signed up for notifications, messages are usually posted within a secure online portal.
- Be wary of unsolicited messages, especially if you never signed up for text alerts.
- Pay attention to the number or email the message came from.
- Watch for extra letters or characters in the sender's information that might try to convince you they're someone you recognize.
- Never give sensitive personal information to strangers.
- Avoid clicking on links sent via text or providing payment information.
- If you believe there's an issue, visit the company’s website directly and log in to your account, or call the company directly.
- Don’t leave unattended packages.
- If you're expecting a package, try to schedule its delivery when you know you'll be home or ask a neighbor to hold it for you.
- Some retailers offer "garage delivery" to avoid having packages sitting out in the open.
- Ship to store, storefront or post office box.
- Retailers will require proof of purchase or identification before releasing packages they've received.
- Require a signature.
- Many delivery companies include the option to require a signature before leaving a package, letting you take physical possession of the item as soon as it is delivered.
If you think your package was stolen, file a report with your local police department and the delivery company.
Depending on your delivery service or the company you ordered from, they might offer insurance or other policies to help reimburse you.
If you think you clicked on a shipping text link from a scammer, check out the BBB scam survival kit for the next steps to take.
You can report any scams you encounter through the BBB scam tracker.