With so many cyber threats, it’s easy to forget that fraud attempts also lurk outside of the Internet. A particularly perfidious scam could already be in your mailbox.
Fraud schemes can also end up in your mailbox. (Source: Stuartbur / depositphotos.com)
Numerous phishing emails land in your digital mailbox every day. The threat posed by this scam should not be underestimated. Fortunately, people have become more aware of cyber fraud. But you can also fall victim to a scam outside of the Internet that lands directly in your mailbox.
This is not an easily recognizable scam like a fake competition, but an inconspicuous yellow slip of paper. You’ve probably seen them before when a long-awaited package couldn’t be delivered. Criminals put counterfeits of these slips in your mailbox that look very similar to the original.
The aim of the scam is to lure you to a fake website, as the portal Watch Internet reports. There is a QR code on the piece of paper that supposedly contains further information about your delivery. If you scan it, you will be directed to the phishing page, where your personal data will be requested for supposed verification.
The fraudsters can misuse the stolen data for their own purposes or sell it on the dark web. Fortunately, you can easily avoid falling for the scam. You just have to look closely at the note.
Many small details reveal the attempted fraud. Firstly, there is the fact that the post office does not print QR codes on its slips. You will receive all information about your delivery via the tracking number. It is also noticeable that the recipient (i.e. you) is listed as unknown on the slip. If that were really the case, you would not receive any notification at all.
So make sure you pay attention to the personalization, don’t scan other people’s QR codes and don’t give out any personal data online. So far, the scam is only in circulation in Austria, but it could soon be used in Germany too.
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