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THE United States Postal Service has given a stark warning about a rise in scams targeting customers’ personal information.
The agency has seen a rise in several types of mail scams, including a new tactic plaguing customers.
One of them, so-called brushing scams in which victims receive items they never ordered from sellers who post fake customer reviews, has become a “growing concern,” according to the USPS.
“These scams occur when a customer receives unsolicited packages containing low-cost items like household goods,” U.S. Postal Inspector Kelly McNulty told Albuquerque NBC affiliate KOB.
If customers are targeted via brushing, it could mean their personal information is at risk.
“These packages are often sent by online retailers or third parties who use compromised personal information to create fake transactions,” McNulty said.
“If the item you receive was not something you ordered or were expecting, you may return it to the sender, throw it away, or keep it,” a spokesperson for the USPS told The U.S. Sun.
“Don’t be swindled or talked into paying for the item. Change your login passwords for the retailer and monitor your finances, including credit card statements and credit reports. This could be an indication your personal information may have been compromised.”
BEWARE OF SMISHING AND PHISHING
Another type of scam USPS warned about is smishing – fake texts that ask for personal information.
Smishing is one of the latest ways criminals disguised as the United States Postal Service have been stealing social security and credit card numbers.
The most reported text scams in 2024 were fake package delivery issue messages typically from the USPS, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
The texts include a link that leads to a website mimicking the postal service’s own.
It also asks for a “redelivery fee.”
“Treat your personal information like cash,” McNulty said during a press conference. “Think before you send it.”
Phishing scams, similar to smishing except they are sent via email, have also increased.
In 2024, the FTC reported $470 million in losses from text message scams – almost $100 million more than 2023.
What is Brushing?
Some consumers have reported recieving unexpected deliveries of packages with items they did not order, but they could be victims of a scam.
Although these could seem harmless or even pleasant these people could be victims of “Brushing.”
Brushing is when someone receives a package with items they did not order.
These packages are actually typically sent by third-party sellers who have the recipient’s name and address available.
Once the package has been sent it is listed as a verified purchase through popular e-commerce sites like Amazon.
The purpose of this is that scammers can then post fake positive reviews of these items under the recipient’s name.
This in turn would help to boost their products and earn scammers more sales and profit.
Consumers should be particularly wary as this scam could also reveal a recipient’s personal information has been compromised online.
The postal service urged customers to never click on links and insisted the USPS would never send unsolicited text messages.
If an unknown package arrives on your doorstep, the agency has urged customers to report it to the United States Postal Inspection Service.
“Combating mail theft and violent crimes against our employees is of the highest priority for the Postal Service and Postal Inspection Service,” CEO and Postmaster General Doug Tulino said.
Fake stamps are another concern for the USPS.
The agency has recommended buying stamps only from its locations or approved retailers.
KEEP YOUR MAIL SAFE
Project Safe Delivery, an initiative aimed at catching those committing mail-related crime, has led to over 2,800 arrests since 2023.
Despite the rise in scams, big changes are coming to the agency.
Starting July 1, price hikes are expected to begin with possible delays for some packages.
Temporary Postmaster Tulino was placed at the helm when former Postmaster Louis DeJoy suddenly stepped down in March 2025 after he allowed Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to assess the agency’s finances.
Now, Tulino will be replaced by White House-backed David Steiner in July, postal workers criticizing the new appointee as concerns over the possible privatization of the agency arose.
“Private shippers have been waiting to get USPS out of parcel delivery for years,” the National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents 295,000 active and retired workers, said. “Steiner’s selection is an open invitation to do just that.”
In March, the USPS announced that it would be cutting its workforce by 10,000 workers via voluntary buyouts.
