Are you wondering if that latest text message from the “postal service” is legit or a scam? We have been hearing from a lot of customers recently who have received a text message similar to the following:

[Postal Service]- Your package could not be delivered since address is incomplete, please update the address information in time.

The text doesn’t mention abyrose directly, but since they recently ordered from us, they are checking to see if the text is related to their order.

If you receive any text like this, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK or provide any personal information! Scammers are always innovating new ways to trick people into providing personal information, and this text message is one of the latest traps!

The US Postal Service does not text customers to ask for information via website links, so if you see a text message like this you can be pretty sure it is from a malicious source.

SMISHING is the new phishing

You have probably heard the term “phishing” which refers to fraudulent emails trying to get personal information by having you click on website links. As text messaging has become more prevalent, scammers are becoming more creative in using texts to try to get access to your personal information, and the term for this type of scam is “smishing.”

Always be sure you know the source of any text asking you to click on a website link. You can often tell by examining the link address if it a legitimate website. Beware of links that use sites like bit.ly to shorten URLs in order to mask the true destination.

If you do click on a link and realize that the destination site seems suspicious or is asking for personal data, just close the webpage and leave the site. Do not accept any downloads or enter your personal information.

Tips for identifying text scams

There are a few ways to examine texts to check for authenticity. The government does have rules for how legitimate businesses use text messages, so here are some tips to look for:

• Check the number to see if it is one you recognize or has sent you texts before. You might want to create a contact for favorite businesses that text you regularly.
• Businesses are required to identify themselves in automated text messages, so look for a specific company name.
• Always examine the website address in the link before clicking on it. Some scammers will attempt to hide the true destination by using short URLs that mask the website. address Reputable businesses who use short URLs will make sure the link is recognizable.

Report the text scam

The USPS has posted information about how to report this particular scam as well as information about how to report other non-USPS related text scams:

To report USPS related smishing, send an email to spam@uspis.gov.

• Without clicking on the web link, copy the body of the suspicious text message and paste into a new email.
• Provide your name in the email, and also attach a screenshot of the text message showing the phone number of the sender and the date sent.
• Include any relevant details in your email, for example: if you clicked the link, if you lost money, if you provided any personal information, or if you experienced any impacts to your credit or person.
• The Postal Inspection Service will contact you if more information is needed.

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

• The Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI), Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3) at https://www.ic3.gov/complaint

How we contact customers

If we do have problems with your order or your delivery, we will contact you via one of these two methods:

• Email from support@shopabbyrose.com
• Text message from 210-570-9444

Both our email address and phone number are listed on our Contact Us page as well.

We may contact you if we need an update to a delivery address (for example, if the apartment number is missing) but we will never ask you to click on a link to provide that information. We will also always identify ourselves as from abbyrose.

If you are ever suspicious about an email or message you receive, please feel free to ask for more information to validate the sender!

Text updates from abbyrose

We do have a text update program which notifies customers about new product releases, sales, and other news. We always follow government guidelines for automated text messaging:

• Our text alerts will always come from the number 888-701-2193
• You must opt in to receive these updates from us by texting “join”, and you can opt out at any time by texting “stop”
• Text alerts always begin with “abbyrose:” in order to identify them as from us
• Any links included in the text will start with “https://klv6.io/” so that you can identify the destination website as legitimate

Subscribe to abbyrose text alerts

Additional resources

Here are some other helpful resources if you receive a smishing attempt:

• USPS article on package tracking scams
• What’s the difference between smishing, phishing & vishing?
• Federal Communications Commission consumer guide on unwanted emails and texts