Fedex Scams: Have You Been Contacted by Someone Claiming to be Fedex?

We’ve all been there. You get an email or text message. It looks like a reputable company that sent it. You’re just about to click on the link but then you have a moment of “wait this is too good to be true.” You have a brief internal debate on what you should do, but you decide to click the link anyways.

This is why scammers are still around and this is why companies have fraud departments. FedEx is no different. When you fall victim to a FedEx scam, the FedEx fraud department can help. Even though this was the case during a recent FedEx scam, consumers still feel uneasy whenever they receive an unwarranted email or text message. But it’s good to have this apprehension and be more safe than sorry. 

This recent FedEx scam brought consumers to a fake Amazon satisfaction survey that asked them for their credit card number to claim a free product. This scam affected people across the country, and it served as a reminder that we all need a refresher on the possible FedEx scams we may fall victim to.

Get The Most Out of Your Online Experience

The internet is an amazing place. Online, we can all meet anyone, see anything, and be anyone. This access allows us all to live better lives, but unfortunately, many people take this as an opportunity to scam and manipulate. Social Catfish empowers you by putting the power of public information at your fingertips. Use the search bar to search any name, phone number, image, and more to find out the true identity of anyone you’re talking to online.

Enlarge

Types of Fedex Scams

1. Fake FedEx tracking number

The most common FedEx scam is a fake FedEx tracking number. If you receive a FedEx tracking number even if you have an expected FedEx shipment arriving, look carefully at the email or text message. Often scammers will send an email or text message with a fake FedEx tracking number. You can take that tracking number and type it into FedEx’s website to avoid being scammed, but some people just click on the link in the message which is exactly what the scammer wants you to do. They will often include a link in these messages to update your message preferences. And often these messages will have a different shipping company noted, which should help alert you that the message did not come from FedEx directly.

2. The work at home scam

FedEx job scams are another thing to be on the lookout for. it is still a scam to be aware of. If you are looking to work at FedEx, don’t pursue any jobs that ask you to pay upfront for a background check, training, certification, or something else. FedEx will never require you to do this. This is a job posting by a scammer who creates a fake job posting. Another red flag is that these postings often require no prior experience or skills. This is because they are trying to scam as many people as possible.

3. Online marketplace fraud

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us opted for an online shop. Since the pandemic, the number of online shoppers has only grown. With this scam, products will be listed on a third-party website and the scammer will provide a tracking number after the purchase. These products will never be delivered to you though. Double-check the FedEx tracking number you receive to ensure that the product was sent out to you and is on its way. To avoid falling victim to this, compare similar products to see if the one you are purchasing is “too good to be true” and look at the website to see if you find any of the red flags we listed.

Enlarge

Most Common Fedex Scams

Before diving into the potential FedEx scams that you should be on high alert for, it’s helpful to first be aware of the warning signs. If you encounter any of the red flags below, avoid proceeding any further.

• Any requests for personal and/or financial information,
• Errors in spelling and/or grammar, as well as any excessive usage of capital letters or exclamation points,
• A request for money in return for a FedEx delivery of a package that is unexpected (this will usually come with a high sense of urgency),
• Misspelled website addresses (you can see the spelling on the link that is sent to you – usually this may look like fed-ex.com, fedx.com, or something else),
• A random claim that you are the winner of a large amount of money in a lottery or settlement,
• And any lack of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or certificate errors (FedEx will always have SSL).

You’ll notice these warning signs, and the below scams, pop up most commonly in email and text messages. If you catch any of these red flags, you’ll be saving yourself from a scam. But if you don’t catch one, below are the three most common FedEx scams that you may be subject to.

Whenever you are receiving a package through FedEx, or if you are sending out a FedEx package, you will always receive a FedEx tracking number. You can receive this from a FedEx shipping location or receive this in email form (which will be from a FedEx email address). The only way FedEx reaches its customers about a FedEx tracking number is this way. 

What you won’t ever receive through FedEx is unsolicited mail, text or email, payment, or personal information in return for goods in transit, or FedEx custody. If you do ever receive a message asking this, then that is likely a scam. If you are the recipient of any of these, never reply to the sender, click on any links, or comply with their requests.

If you have clicked on a link or responded to a sender, you can report the scammer. If you experienced financial loss, contact your bank immediately. Also, contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or your state Attorney General’s office. FedEx also wants to hear about any suspicious activity so they can help other customers. Because of that, please be sure to report any suspicious text messages or emails to [email protected] and/or contact the FedEx fraud department. Once you report the email or text message, delete the fraud message immediately.

The overlying message is to look at everything with a magnifying lens. If you’re ever in doubt about a tracking number, always go to FedEx’s website to look up the tracking number yourself or reach out to the company to verify the tracking. All scams can be prevented with consumer awareness, and FedEx scams are no different. 

How Do I Know if a FedEx Text Message is Real?

If you receive a text message from FedEx and you’re not sure if it’s real or a scam, here are some tips to help you verify its authenticity:

1. Check the sender’s number: Verify that the text message came from a legitimate FedEx phone number. Scammers may use fake phone numbers that mimic the FedEx number.
2. Check for grammatical errors: Scammers often make grammatical and spelling mistakes in their messages. If the text message has errors, it’s likely a scam.
3. Don’t click on links: Avoid clicking on links in the text message, as they may lead you to a fake website that looks like FedEx’s website but is designed to steal your personal information.
4. Verify with FedEx: If you’re still not sure if the text message is real, contact FedEx customer service directly to verify if they sent the message.
5. Use common sense: If the text message seems too good to be true, such as offering you an unexpected refund or prize, it’s likely a scam.

Conclusion

If you are suspicious about a message that is from a sender that you suspect is posing as Fedex, running a reverse email search can help you find relevant information on the person behind the email address. This will help you avoid any scams that might result from you responding to the message or completing the action being requested. Use the reverse search bar below to run your first search today!