Naughty Business of the Week: parcel tracking notice scams
Green parcel tracking notices have shown up in Howard County mailboxes, instructing the recipients to pay $6.95 in "processing and delivery fees" by calling a telephone number.
Don't do it! The Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs says that these parcel tracking notices are a scam that has been tried elsewhere in the country. You might have thought that the package came from a friend or something you yourself ordered. Instead, you've been "specially selected" to receive a cultured freshwater pearl necklace supposedly worth $50, but is really worth far less.
Plus ...
... “In addition to losing $6.95, consumers who respond may end up losing a lot more,” advised Rebecca Bowman, the county’s Office of Consumer Affairs Administrator. “By giving out your credit card information, you are setting yourself up to be a victim of identity theft.”
The bottom line? Don't give out your credit card number to people who ask you for it. And report scams such as these to the Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs for county residents, or the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
Categories: Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
