Police warn of fake SMS messages about alleged customs charges
Cybercriminals are exploiting new customs regulations for parcels from outside the EU to distribute fraudulent SMS messages. They impersonate Polish Post and courier companies to obtain internet banking details.
Police warn of fake SMS messages about alleged customs charges
Officers are warning of a new wave of internet fraud exploiting changes in customs regulations for packages arriving from countries outside the European Union. Criminals are sending text messages while impersonating postal and courier operators.
The technique used by cybercriminals is smishing – a type of phishing carried out via short text messages. Fraudsters inform recipients of an alleged need to pay an additional fee for a parcel, imposed customs or tax tariffs, or of a package delivery being held up due to an outstanding bill. Each message contains a link redirecting to a fake payment website or banking system.
The manipulation strategy is based on two elements. The first is the application of time pressure – messages suggest the urgency of action, threatening to return the parcel to the sender. The second is the low amount of money demanded, typically a few zlotys, which lowers the recipient's vigilance.
Entering a payment card number or login credentials to a bank account on the fake website results in the account being taken over by criminals and the loss of accumulated funds. Official logistics operators never send SMS messages with direct links to settle customs charges.
Upon receiving a suspicious message, recipients should not open any attached links or reply to the sender. The contents of a suspicious message can be forwarded unmodified to the free number 8080 handled by the CERT Poland team. People who have managed to reveal their financial details should immediately notify their banking institution of the need to block their account and cards, and then submit a report at the nearest police station.
Source: TVP Rzeszów
Source: Google News PL — Crime (pl)