Scam Involving Notices Of Parcels On Hold Popping Up In The Sacramento Area

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - With gift-giving and online shopping on the rise, a mail scam appears to be making the rounds again.

The scam involves fake notices of parcels on hold. The often postcard-sized, official-looking notices say the shipper was not able to deliver a package to your home. They're official-looking and similar in appearance to notices you might find from a legitimate shipping company.

When you call the number on the card, if you don't remember ordering anything, the caller may try to convince you the package is a gift from a friend or relative, the BBB says.  However, things get weird quickly. The caller may try to ask you to verify personal information or provide credit card information to reschedule the delivery.

A Reddit user in the Sacramento area shared a photo of one of these bogus notices.

There's also a digital version of the scam. Emails that appear to be from the U.S. Postal Service say you missed a delivery, and ask you to print an attached form and take it to your local post office so you can pick up your package, the FTC says.

The message might also include offering additional emails, but when you download the attachment or click on a link, you're likely to end up with a virus or malware on your device.

No matter the method of contact, the package doesn't exist. Sharing your personal information puts you at risk for identity theft.

If you receive an email that appears to be from the Postal Service and seems suspicious, you can report it to the USPS Inspector General's hotline.