USPIS kicks off Consumer Protection Week with scam warnings
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is kicking off National Consumer Protection Week from March 2 through March 8.
They are warning about the dangers of imposter scams.
Imposters are scammers who work to convince people they are a friend or relative, or that they are from a legitimate source, like a bank or government agency.
They then take personally identifiable information and use it to steal victims’ money.
Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the Criminal Investigations Group said they often start with messages like, ‘I’m in trouble…,’ ‘I need…,’ ‘You’ve won!..,’ or ‘I have a great offer for you!’
Shen said these scammers lull consumers into a false sense of trust, gain access to information, and then drain financial accounts.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says take your time to make financial decisions, don’t rush into sending your money to someone, and always confirm with a verified source.
Don’t call a number that you haven’t verified and never click on any links in an email or text.
The Postal Service will NEVER send you an unsolicited text.
Any text or email claiming you have a USPS delivery problem is designed to steal your info.
For more information on how to spot an imposter, please visit www.uspis.gov.
