VISHING

Have you received a phone call or voicemail message from an unfamiliar number claiming to need to verify sensitive personal information? If so, don't respond, delete the voicemail. This type of scam called vishing.

Vishing, short for voice phishing, is an identity fraud scam utilizing a phone call or voicemail. Scammers will call or leave a voicemail and impersonate someone they are not, and attempt to illicit sensitive information, like login credentials, personal identifying information, credit card numbers or other banking details.
These impostors may pretend to be Postal Inspectors, or other persons in USPS and USPIS positions of authority. They may attempt to coerce you with threats of arrest or some other punishment.

If you ever receive a phone call or voicemail from an individual claiming to be a Postal Inspector or other law enforcement official- alleging there is an active warrant out for your arrest, be careful. These individuals impersonate law enforcement, or other positions of authority, and will manufacture a threatening situation and sense of urgency in an attempt coerce you into sending them money and/or providing your personal information to steal your identity. They may claim you are the suspect of a criminal investigation or currently have an outstanding warrant for your arrest. The impostor's phone number may be blocked or spoofed/fake, displaying a number other than the actual number used by the impostor. The imposter may even spoof/fake a legitimate number of the person or entity he/she is impersonating. Postal Inspectors will NEVER demand money from you or threaten you with arrest for failing to provide personal information over the phone, text, or email. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working hard to stop these impostors.

USPS® and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are aware of the recent occurrences of USPS customers receiving calls from individuals impersonating USPIS employees, to include Postal Inspectors. Please know USPIS officials would NEVER reach out directly to consumers and demand money or personal information. Please read the information below to protect yourself from this imposter scam.

If you receive a communication from someone impersonating a Postal Inspector, please send an email to the USPIS Cyber Crime Unit at [email protected]. Please include your name and contact information, the name and any contact information used by the imposter, and a summary of phone call or copy of the actual communication with the imposter.

Complaints of non-USPS related imposter activity can also be sent to any of the following law enforcement partners of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service:

• The Federal Trade Commission

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI), Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3)