Be Advised: New Text Scam uses Bogus Tracking Numbers

Ron Benvenisti. If you receive a text containing the following or similar message from an unknown number:

“Hello mate, your FEDEX package with tracking code GB-6412-GH83 is waiting for you to set delivery preferences: c4dmc.info/sKenKPOSiGX”

 DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK

It will bring you to a malicious site.

There is a current spate of these bogus texts that appear to come from FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, etc., with fake tracking numbers.

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31 COMMENTS

  1. What if I clicked on the link, but then immediately closed my browser without clicking on anything else? Can it have done any damage, and if so, what can I do about it?

  2. Don’t click and your fine. Closing your browser after you click will help if the site asks you to enter information. But if it lands you on a malicious site it can immediately install a virus to grab contacts, bank and card info even if they’re pics. Hijack your mic and camera. It could use your phone to surreptiously make calls, send texts, and/or lock your phone. Install ransomware. It can use up your data, hijack your storage and internet address to commit crimes that implicate you. Just don’t click it.

  3. I got it and I forwarded it to my email and clicked the link on my computer from a chrome browser.
    It just flashed the screen and nothing happened.
    Do I need to be concerned??

  4. I clicked the link, it just opened up google.com for me…. a little nervous that it may have idk how to say this, opened a proxy, or something like that…nervous they have access to my credit card info.

    Any thoughts?

  5. I just received the same text. Usually I can spot out a fake because all my NORMAL contacts are saved and i never answer or reply to unknown calls/texts.

  6. I clicked it and immediately closed the browser. Next morning, my card was charged $92 for some miracle cream. I had to close my card number.

  7. Hey folks… I too have received this message. Fortunately the perpetrators made a grave error by sending the mass text out to every cell number on my account. These were immediately blocked and deleted. I’ve just got a new one today from another number 1 digit off. A screenshot and traceable info has been provided to FedEx’s fraud Dept, as well as, local law enforcement.

    I’ve been counseled to spread the word to all I know.

    1) FedEx will never begin a tracking update message with “hey mate” in fact they don’t include the name of any package recipient.

    2) Do not follow this link!

    3) Take a screenshot of both the message and again after long pressing and selecting details. Forward these images to FedEx using their report fraud link on their website.
    4) Send a copy of the fraudulent text to your local law enforcement. Request they submit it to your state’s attorney general for follow-up investigation.

    Finally… As a general rule… Never open any link sent by someone you don’t know. When in doubt… Throw it out!

    Be safe.. “Think before you click!”

    • My mom received the text and clicked on the link. It asked her to answer 3 questions and then they said her email address was missing. I told her not to provide this information because FedEx would already have this information. Since she clicked on the link and answered the 3 questions, does she need to restart her phone?

  8. I just received this as well of course this is not FED EX tracking number format so I was suspicious and found this site. I did not open the link and will be deleting of course. thank you for posting this.

  9. Just curious. I got this message to. I am very careful about who gets my number and email because I cannot stand spam. But since I put my phone number and at the gas station by my local Walmart. ( Murphy’s USA). I get at least three spam phone calls a day and up to 10 spam texts a day. I’m just curious who else has put their number in for discounts at this place.

  10. my brother got this text but it was addressed to me . and we live in 2 different states! i have never gotten this spam text on my phone but some how hes getting them addressed to me.

  11. I received 2 from Fed X and 1 from DHL..same tracking number made me suspicious. But probably too late. So now what do I do to make sure my phone is ok? And I haven’t been hacked? I AM expecting a package so believed these to be valid.
    Thanks for your help!!

  12. I’ve now received 3 of these text messages. One said it was from DHL and the other 2, Fedex. It was the same tracking number in all 3 texts. I didn’t open the link, it didn’t look like a valid tracking number. Glad to see the posts warning people.

  13. Good post above by James. If you forwarded the link to your computer and opened it there you’re probably ok but run a deep scan from the latest version of your anti virus software to be sure. If you notice your home address or your contacts being targeted and you haven’t clicked. You should change your password on email and all social media accounts. If you notice unusual bank or card activity get a new card and change your password. Use an anti-virus program on your phone. The phone numbers are as bogus as the tracking numbers. Get a VPN software. Ditch Google and use Duck Duck Go as your search engine. And of course don’t click in emails or texts. Go to your account’s official website (you are using 2 factor authentication, I hope) and check notifications and messages there. Never allow a website to store your cc or bank info.

  14. The phone companies in the US are selling scammers access to your information with no background checks or identity checks. They sell mass phone numbers to local areas to these scammers.

    Just look up the providers of the phone number and you will find the guilty party. It is many communications networks, in many cases the same ones you are paying for your phone service every month.

    Why the government is still allowing this is not clear. They are selling you a phone number, selling a scammer a phone number, and providing your number to the scammer.

  15. Not quite the same but I received a PHONECALL this morning from JCP&L telling me my account was delinquent. They had my name, address, phone number and spouse’s name! The only reason I knew it was a hoax was because I paid my bill last week and had the confirmation number!

  16. The provider is NOT the guilty party. The link is the guilty party. Finding a person’s name, address and number is as easy as Googling it. (Trash Google and use a VPN). The texts are coming from random spoofed phone numbers which are totally fake (but statistically belong to someone else. Anyone can spoof a number.

    BTW, thanks for the thank yous here on TLS and when I meet many of you personally. I’ve been involved in Cybercrime since I created on of the first Antivirus programs in 1987 which was PC Magazine’s Editor’s Choice. I helped create the first Cybercrime unit in the US for the NYPD in 1997. I was Associate Commissioner and Lead Special investigator Citywide in NY for the DOI Cybercrime unit which I also instrumental in creating publishing 82 Cybercrime Mayoral Executive Orders for all city agencies. Our startup, CyVision was funded by DHS with 9 patents. We’re still paying them back the $2M for our rights to ownership! I have been trying to protect the community thanks to TLS for over 10 years with many scoops on the subject matter for free. Anyone is able to contact me via TLS in total confidentiality or my website benvenistiDOTnet.

  17. I got the text. 2 actually. One number was 760-908-1743. Other number was 951-923-8662. Same tracking code: GB-6412-GH83.
    Just blocked numbers and NEVER click on a link.

  18. I also got this text but they also used my real name. I did not click on any links and immediately deleted the message.but may have foolishly replied with “scammer I’m not expecting any delivery”…is this gonna be an issue? Great post thanks for keeping people notified.

  19. Jane, no worries… worst case scenario is that some random person with the real phone number (if it is real in the first place) will probably get your reply.

Comments are closed.