Idaho AG warning citizens of text-based FedEx scam

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden sent out a warning to Idahoans Monday to be on the lookout for a text-based scam connected to FedEx.

CBS2 reports potential victims will receive a text, from a number pretending to be FedEx, with a tracking code and a request to set delivery preferences. The text will have a link that takes the victim to an Amazon listing with a customer satisfaction survey that promises a reward.

The scam ends with the victim signing up for an expensive service that they will be billed for later.

The AG said this scam is a highlight to the increase in text-related scams.

“Emails and robocalls have long been the preferred medium for scammers to make contact with potential victims,” Wasden said. “But these criminals have refined their text-based scams in recent years, and the FedEx example is a good illustration of their expansion into this medium.”

Always visit the shipper’s website and enter the tracking number before going through with any other instructions.

FedEx says it does not send unsolicited text messages or emails to its customers. The company recommends deleting – without opening – any suspicious texts. It asks recipients to report the texts to [email protected].

“As is the case with phone calls, we have to treat unsolicited texts from unknown sources with significant skepticism,” Wasden said. “These days, if it feels like a scam, there’s a good chance it is.”