Beware of Fake Delivery Scams Targeting South Africans!

As a South African, when you wake up, drink your first cup of coffee and enjoy the sweet taste of an Ouma rusk to get your day started, others are waking up with one intention: to trick, defund and scam you out of your money.

We're forced to secure our cars and properties from the scale on the street and the one in your inbox, too. It really never ends, and the moment you have a lapse of judgement or the caffeine for the day hasn't kicked in, these scammers will be all too happy to pounce.

Since the lockdowns, we've become pretty used to ordering things online, and if MrD or Mr Sixty60 aren't dropping off the week's groceries or your craving for fast food, then it's probably RAM or The Courier guy dropping off your latest online order.

Thousands of packages are delivered country-wide daily, and scammers are trying to prey on our new shopping habits.

Fake SMS for a courier scam

Have you received an SMS or email claiming you have a package waiting for delivery from Ram Couriers or The Courier Guy, but with an unexpected fee attached?

Well, that's the latest grift they're trying to sync up with when you're placing an order and hoping you fall for the payment of that extra delivery fee, usually under R100. So you think, what the hell? I want my package now; what 40 bucks? So you pay it and find out, hey, but I've been swindled.

If so, you're likely the target of a scam!

The scam has been doing the rounds for some time now, first starting with SMSs from the Post Office, but then criminals figured out none of us expect anything from the Post Office, so they pivoted to masquerading as courier services.

Cybercriminals are preying on South Africans' online shopping habits by sending fake delivery notifications. These messages use the branding of reputable courier companies to create a sense of legitimacy and urgency.

Here's how the scam works:

You receive an SMS or email claiming to have a package waiting for delivery from Ram Couriers or The Courier Guy.

The message will likely mention a small fee that needs to be paid before delivery can proceed.

The message will often include a link or phone number for you to "resolve the issue" and pay the fee.

Don't fall for it!

If you haven't ordered anything, don't think your crush or secret admirer decided to send you a gift hamper; they didn't; stop trying to rationalise this delivery, okay?

You've received a scam message, what next?

• Don't respond to the message, and don't open any links that might be included.
• Report it to the official courier company and to the South African Police Services or the Courier service if you feel like that will give you a sense of calm, but really, they can't do anything about it.
• Block the scammer's email address by marking it as junk mail.
• Delete the message immediately.

Fake email with a spoofed header using an Australian domain yet claiming to be RAM South Africa

If you did order something and you get a strange-looking email or SMS sending you to a domain that is NOT the exact domain from your Courier provider, then here's how to protect yourself:

• Be Wary of Unexpected Fees: Legitimate courier companies typically won't request fees via SMS or email. If you were expecting a package and unsure about a fee, contact the courier company directly using the phone number on their website, not the one provided in the message.
• Check for Red Flags: Scammers often create a sense of urgency. Watch out for messages with bad grammar, typos, or pressure to act quickly.
• Verify Before Clicking: Never click on links or open attachments in suspicious messages. These could contain malware or direct you to a fake website designed to steal your personal information.
• Track It Yourself: If you're expecting a package, track it directly on the courier company's website using the tracking number provided by the sender, not the one in the message.

What if you've already clicked on the link?

If you have fallen down the funnel far enough to hand over money, all is not lost, and you don't have to end up being the mampara of the week as long as you don't panic and act quickly.

Example of a fake courier guy website - notice the RAM title tag and alternative domain name

Go online using a different device, change the passwords for your accounts and enable multi-factor authentication.

If you have shared any bank account information or used your credit card to make a payment, contact your bank immediately and flag the transaction with them as fraud.

If the site you were sent to asked you to download an app or file on your phone or computer, you might have just infected your device with a virus, using a fake courier app, or some ransomware that was used to lock you out of your device and get you to pay to unlock it.

You may wish to reset your device to remove malware, but be aware that a factory reset will wipe all your data, including photos, videos, and documents.

Your data is likely on a cloud provider anyway, so you should be able to restore it; so why moan? You should clear the phone and be safe rather than sorry; it's your fault, and think of it as punishment for not seeing the apparent scam.

What to Do If You've Been Scammed?

Report the Scam: Report the scam to the courier company and the South African Police Service (SAPS). You can report to SAPS online or by calling their Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111.

By staying vigilant and following these tips, you can protect yourself from fake delivery scams and keep your personal information safe. Spread the word! Share this article with friends and family to help raise awareness about this scam.

Are you looking to promote your business?

Business owners can create their free business listing on nichemarket. The more information you provide about your business, the easier it will be for your customers to find you online. Registering with nichemarket is easy; all you will need to do is head over to our sign-up form and follow the instructions.

If you require a more detailed guide on how to create your profile or your listing, then we highly recommend you check out the following articles. 

• How to create a nichemarketer profile 
• How to create a nichemarket business listing 

Recommended reading

If you enjoyed this post and have a little extra time to dive deeper down the rabbit hole, why not check out the following posts on web security?

• Will Hetzner's Security Breach cost them the SA Business Awards?
• How Does Site Maintenance Improve Website Health?
• WordPress Blogs Defaced By Hackers
• Why You Should Upgrade Your Site To TLS 1.3
• How To Protect Yourself When Using Public WiFi
• 9 Simple WordPress Security Tricks to Keep Your Website Safe

Tags: Scams, Crime