The Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to stay alert for smishing scams on USPS-issued devices.
Smishing is a type of cyberattack that uses text messages to trick people into providing sensitive information or taking harmful actions.
Cybercriminals are impersonating Postal Service leadership and asking for personal data by sending text messages.
For example, a smishing text might say: “Dear Team Member, your account has been compromised. Click this link to verify your credentials. — USPS Leadership.”
Postal Service employees and contractors should follow these tips to avoid falling for smishing scams:
• Be suspicious of text messages that request personal or business information — or that require you to take immediate action.
• Don’t click on links in unexpected or unsolicited text messages.
• Be cautious of text messages from unknown or suspicious numbers.
• Don’t reply or respond to suspicious looking text messages.
• Block notifications from unsaved phone numbers to decrease the likelihood of falling for a smishing scam.
Report any suspicious texts received on USPS-issued devices by forwarding them to the Postal Inspection Service’s spam account.
The CyberSafe at USPS Monthly Awareness Campaigns Blue page has more information.