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Fake USPS Texts Keep Hitting Bay Area Phones

Fake USPS delivery texts hit Bay Area phones with tracking links and redelivery fees — here's the pattern and how to avoid clicking.

I’ve been getting a steady stream of SMS scams pretending to be from USPS. They all follow the same pattern: a fake tracking number, a message saying a package couldn’t be delivered, and a link asking you to confirm your address or pay a small redelivery fee.

Fake USPS phishing SMS scam message

The real USPS doesn’t text you asking for payment or address confirmation through a link like that. If you weren’t expecting a package and get one of these, don’t click through — just delete it.

Ironically, I still don’t have Informed Delivery, the actual USPS service that emails you scans of mail arriving that day. My address has always come back marked as unavailable for it, and I haven’t found a way to fix that. I live in the Mission, and I’m curious whether that’s a neighborhood-wide gap or just my building.