Text Scams Cost Americans $470 Million in 2024, Package Delivery Scams Lead the Surge

Text message scams, particularly those impersonating package delivery services, resulted in a staggering $470 million in reported losses for Americans in 2024, according to recent data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This figure represents a fivefold increase since 2020, highlighting a growing threat to consumers. The tweet from "Architect🛡️" featuring a U.S. flag emoji and a t.co link, likely serves as a warning or reference to the widespread nature of these malicious text messages.

Scammers frequently employ "smishing" tactics, sending deceptive text messages that mimic legitimate entities like the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, or UPS. These messages often claim there is an issue with a package delivery, such as an incomplete address or an unpaid fee, and include a link designed to lure recipients into providing personal or financial information. The t.co domain, while a legitimate URL shortening service used by X (formerly Twitter), can unfortunately be exploited by scammers to mask the true destination of these malicious links.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has issued repeated warnings, emphasizing that official USPS communications via text will not ask for personal information or direct users to unfamiliar web links. Consumers are advised to never click on links in unexpected texts. Instead, if a message seems legitimate, individuals should directly visit the official website of the delivery service or retailer to track their packages.

Beyond fake delivery alerts, the FTC identified other prevalent text scams in 2024, including phony job opportunities, fake fraud alerts from banks, bogus notices about unpaid tolls, and "wrong number" texts that evolve into investment or romance scams. These diverse tactics underscore the sophisticated nature of modern text-based fraud. Experts recommend forwarding suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) to help wireless providers block similar messages and reporting all incidents to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.