The bogus emails can come with any of the following subject lines:
- USPS Delivery Failure Notification
- FedEx Delivery Failure Notification
- DHL Delivery Failure Notification
- Walmart Delivery Failure Notification
- Best Buy Delivery Failure Notification
- Costco Delivery Failure Notification
In the body of the email we received they state;
“Your order WM- 007148050 delivery has failed because the address was not specified correctly. You are advised to fill this form and send it back to us.”
“If your reply is not received within one week, you will be paid your money back but 17% will be deducted since your order was booked for Christmas holidays.”
One of the first telltale signs that this is a scam email is the poorly structured grammar.
These “official looking” emails are targeting customers from some of the most widely used merchants, the hope is that some of the readers who get these emails are expecting gifts and might actually be confused into clicking on the links contained in the email.
The picture in this article shows a fake Walmart email which we received several times this week.
The links in our email that we received do not go to any website associated with Walmart whatsoever. When we hovered over our links we found they went to a website in the Netherlands (schylgefoto.nl). We believe that this website was compromised by hackers.
As is the case with any email, it is always advisable NOT to click on links, even if you think they’re from the real company, it’s better to go in and log into the company’s website.
If you’re expecting a delivery from Walmart (for example) it’s best to go to the Walmart website - login and check there. But also bear in mind Walmart doesn’t do home delivery, Walmart only delivers to stores for in-store pickup so this was our second indication that this was a scam email.
Tips on spotting bogus emails:
- The text contains poor grammar or spelling errors.
- The text states immediate action must be taken or customer could face dire consequences.
- The email requests personal information under the guise of re-confirming information.
- The text from an “automated message system” states “Click on this link for details.”
The final word on email protection.
If you do happen to receive an email such as this one, it is best to delete them. Clicking on these malicious links can increase your chances of being exposed to malware and other viruses.
Similar Other Articles of Interest:
