USPS Warns of Smishing and Other Scams During the Holidays: What You Need to Know

You're sitting on the couch, surrounded by half-wrapped gifts and a pile of tape, when your phone buzzes. It’s a text. "USPS: Your package is on hold due to a missing house number. Please update your details here to avoid return to sender." You’ve definitely ordered a few things recently—maybe it’s that sweater for your aunt? You almost click.

Stop.

That little link is a trap. It’s called "smishing"—SMS phishing—and it is exploding right now. As we head into the thick of the 2025-2026 holiday season, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has launched its "Cut Out Crime" campaign because, honestly, the scammers are getting way too good at this. They aren't just sending typos anymore; they’re mimicking the exact branding of the Postal Service to drain your bank account while you're distracted by holiday cheer.

Why the USPS Warns of Smishing and Other Scams During the Holidays

The holidays are a goldmine for fraudsters. Why? Because everyone is expecting a package. Scammers know your guard is down. They rely on that "I better fix this now" panic you feel when you think a gift won't arrive on time.

According to the latest alerts from the USPIS, these "smishers" send unsolicited texts with a strange URL. If you click it, you’re sent to a mirror site that looks identical to USPS.com. It’ll ask for your name, address, and—here’s the kicker—your credit card info for a "redelivery fee."

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The USPS is very clear on this: they do not send unsolicited texts. Ever. If you didn't specifically sign up for a tracking request on a specific package using a tracking number you already had, any text you get is a fake. Plus, real USPS tracking updates never contain a link. If there’s a link to click, it’s a scam.

It’s Not Just Texts: The Rise of "Quishing" and Brushing

While smishing gets the headlines, there are other weird things happening at your front door.

Have you heard of "brushing"? You open your door and find a package you didn't order. It’s addressed to you, usually containing something cheap like a plastic phone case or a USB fan. It feels like a mistake, but it's actually a tactic where sellers send items to real people so they can write fake "verified" reviews in your name.

Lately, though, this has taken a darker turn called quishing.

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Scammers include a QR code in these unsolicited packages. They might say, "Scan to see who sent this gift!" or "Scan for a holiday discount." The second you scan that code, you're directed to a site designed to scrape your personal data or infect your phone with malware. It’s basically a high-tech version of the same old identity theft trick.

How to Spot the Fakes Before You Get Burned

Scammers are getting sophisticated, but they still leave breadcrumbs. If you get a message, look for these red flags:

• The Sender's Number: Real USPS notifications come from a 5-digit short code (like 28777). If the text comes from a regular 10-digit mobile number, it's 100% a fraud.
• The Language of Urgency: "Action Required!" or "Final Notice!" are classic scammer tropes. They want you to act before you think.
• Sketchy URLs: Look closely. Is it uspis-delivery.com or usps-help.net? Those aren't real. The only official site is USPS.com.
• Requests for Money: USPS does not charge a "redelivery fee" via text. If they need a payment, you'll usually handle that at the post office or through a very specific, secure process you initiated.

Protecting Your Physical Mail

We can't forget about the "porch pirates" and mail thieves. The USPIS makes thousands of arrests every year for mail theft, but the sheer volume of holiday packages makes it hard to catch everyone.

If you’re sending a gift, never mail cash. It’s the easiest thing to steal and the hardest to track. If you’re going to be away, use the "Hold Mail" service. It's free, and it keeps your mailbox from overflowing and screaming "nobody is home" to every thief driving by.

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What to Do If You've Already Clicked

Look, it happens. You were tired, it was 11 PM, and you just wanted that package delivered. If you entered your info into a suspicious site, here is your immediate game plan:

1. Freeze your cards. Call your bank immediately. Don't wait for a suspicious charge to show up.
2. Report the smish. Forward the scam text to 7726 (that spells SPAM). This helps your carrier block the sender.
3. Email the experts. Take a screenshot of the text and email it to spam@uspis.gov. Include the date and any details about what happened.
4. Check your device. If you downloaded a file or scanned a QR code, run a malware scan on your phone.

The Postal Inspection Service is actively hunting these guys down through initiatives like Project Safe Delivery, which has already seen a massive jump in arrests and a 27% drop in letter carrier robberies since 2023. But they need us to be the first line of defense.

Next Steps for Your Security:

To stay ahead of the scammers this week, your best move is to sign up for Informed Delivery on the official USPS website. This lets you see grayscale images of your incoming mail and track every single package in one dashboard without ever needing to click a link in a text message. If a package isn't in your official dashboard, that text message you just got is a lie. Also, take five minutes to block "unknown senders" in your phone's messaging settings to filter out the noise before it even hits your inbox.