10/19/2026
SCAM AWARENESS SERIES – WEEK
Holiday Shopping, Package & Delivery Scams
Hi, this is Michelle Howard, your Roosevelt County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent.
With the holidays right around the corner, many of us are starting to shop online and have packages delivered to our homes. Unfortunately, scammers know this too, and they use the busy holiday season to try to trick people into giving away their money or personal information.
This week, I want to share some information about holiday shopping, package, and delivery scams especially for our older adults who may not be familiar with some of these tricks.
Here are a few scams to watch out for:
1. Fake Delivery Text Messages: You receive a text claiming to be from USPS, UPS, or FedEx saying your package cannot be delivered because of an incorrect address or missing information. The message includes a link asking you to update your information.
2. Fake Package Notifications: You receive an email or text saying a package is waiting for you, but you must pay a small delivery fee before it can be delivered. That small fee could be a trick to steal your credit card information.
3. Fake Online Shopping Websites: Scammers create websites that look like legitimate stores. They may advertise popular gifts at unbelievably low prices, but after you pay, your merchandise may never arrive.
4. Social Media Shopping Scams: Be careful with advertisements on Facebook and other social media platforms offering expensive items at extremely low prices. Just because an advertisement appears on social media does not mean the seller is legitimate.
5. Messages About Delivery Problems:Scammers may tell you that your package has been lost, delayed, or returned and that you need to click a link immediately to fix the problem.
Remember our lesson from Week 1?
STOP – THINK – CHECK!
- **STOP:** Don't click suspicious delivery links or give out your credit card or personal information.
- **THINK:** Did I actually order something? Does this message seem strange? Is someone trying to rush me?
- **CHECK:** Go directly to the store's website or delivery company's official website to check your order or tracking information. Do not use the link in the suspicious message.
**Here is something else to remember:** Even if you ARE expecting a package, that doesn't mean the text or email you received is real!
If you're unsure about a message, ask a trusted family member or friend to help you check it before taking action.
As we get closer to the holidays, please take a few minutes to share this information with your parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends. We all want our holiday shopping to be enjoyable, not something that causes financial stress.
Before you click that delivery link—STOP, THINK & CHECK!
Sources: FTC – Fake Package Delivery Text Scams
U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Package Tracking Text Scams
FTC – Holiday Shopping Scams
