TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Board of Commissioners and the Department of Consumer Affairs are alerting residents to a rise in fraudulent text messages and emails posing as package delivery notices. These scams falsely claim issues like “Your package is delayed” or “We missed you – confirm your address” to trick recipients into clicking malicious links.
The messages often impersonate USPS, UPS, FedEx, or Amazon, and lead to fake login pages, malware downloads, or phishing forms that can steal passwords and credit card information.
“If the message doesn’t sound legitimate, it probably isn’t,” officials warned.
To protect yourself, the county recommends:
- Do not click on links in texts or emails unless you initiated the order and recognize the source.
- Manually check tracking through the delivery company’s official website.
- Watch for unusual senders or odd spelling in emails and phone numbers.
- Forward suspicious messages to SPAM (7726).
The flyer also reminds residents that legitimate carriers will never ask for personal information or payment through a text.
Anyone who believes they may have been targeted by a scam should contact their local police department and report the incident to the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs at 732-929-2105.
