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The FedEx Shipping Scam Is Here, Just in Time for the Holidays

By Christopher Coble, Esq. on December 20, 2017 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Between the gifts you're buying online this holiday season and the ones you might be expecting or hoping to get from friends and loved ones, you're probably expecting an email confirmation or two about those packages being delivered. And you would be understandably upset if you saw an email in your inbox that read "FedEx: Delivery Problems Notification."

If you got one of these emails, we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, that email is fake. The bad news is, it could infect your computer with malware if you're not careful.

Bad Delivery

According to FedEx, consumers have been getting emails with the subject line "FedEx: Delivery Problems Notification." Other consumers got messages that read, "Your Order is Ready for Shipment," "We Could Not Deliver Your Package," or "Please Confirm Delivery." These emails contain links that may take you to any number of infected websites, some of which may look like fedex.com, while others do not.

The sample email FedEx posted contains text that reads, "Not possible to make delivery," and "Our companys courier couldn't make the delivery." Below that, a purple link that says "Delivery Manager." If clicked, however, this link will connect you to a site loaded with malware that can infect your computer.

FedEx insists that it "does not send unsolicited emails to customers requesting information regarding packages, invoices, account numbers, passwords or personal information," and advises anyone who received such an email not to open it or click on the hyperlink. Instead, if you get one of these suspicious emails, delete it immediately or forward it to abuse@fedex.com.

The last thing we want in the mail this holiday season is an inbox full of malware. So be vigilant and don't fall for the shipping scam this year.

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