UPS supposedly has a Fight Fraud Program – if this is the best they can do it is very frightening!
That is not to say they do not have valid Fraud warnings and information – the information on the website regarding fraud is accurate and informative!!
HOWEVER….
For the past 2 months one of our customers has been receiving communications through fax, mail and email that at first they discounted as scam and phishing spam but after a few references to the same information they began to wonder if maybe it was valid information.
Why does it look like fraud?
- An internet search for the address they were told to send payments to however does not reveal any valid UPS offices.
- A search of the UPS site does not show the address they were told to send payments.
- The phone numbers in the communications do not match ANY phone numbers on the UPS site.
- An internet search for the phone numbers in the communications does not yield any results – NONE – and NOT anything related to UPS.
- The UPS site has a directory of offices and locations – NONE match the communications.
- The attachments were text and Excel files that did not include any information regarding the shipping addresses (to or from) – nor did they contain any tracking numbers.
We tell our customers DO NOT open any files that could contain virus like Excel files!
The UPS Fight Fraud page says among other great tips that an indication of fraud might be:
Unexpected Requests: A request attempting to obtain money, financial information (e.g. bank account or payment card numbers), or personal information in exchange for the delivery of a package or other article.
The fight fraud page also has a section regarding “Phone Calls, Letters, Faxes, and
Sometimes the problem is well known company with lazy practices and lack of communication.
Other Communications Fraudulently Using the UPS Name or Brand”
So a request for payment seems to fall into that category!
UPS needs to do a much better job of assisting customers to find VALID contact information!
UPS is an easy brand to “Fake” and as consumers get more savvy and DO due diligence on electronic information they will all waste more time – both the customers AND UPS.
This is one of my pet peeves as it is one of the ways costs and expenses get spun out of control.
EVERY UPS person we spoke to had an attitude of – hmmm really – oh yeah that address is not us – it is a JP Morgan Chase bank drop. We questioned WHY the address was NOT anywhere on the website and were told – “Gee I don’t know – probably because it is the bank.” When I told them how long we had been trying to get more information about this they all had the exasperated attitude that it was not their job and they did not know.
It was not until I decided to write this that I found the UPS Fight Fraud page. There is a link on the homepage regarding “New Fraudulent Email Circulating” that takes you to page with examples then a link to the Fight Fraud page.
The least they could do is have a form where you could search for a phone number to see if it is valid. I did fill out a feedback form on the site and contact customer service form – I wonder if they will be at all concerned – but I am not holding my breath and need to get back to work!
See examples of fraudulent UPS emails: http://www.ups.com/media/news/en/fraud_email_examples.pdf
Spam and Phishing E-mails Fraudulently Using the UPS Name or Brand
Fraudulent e-mails adopt many different forms and are the unauthorized actions of third parties not associated with UPS. These e-mail messages referred to as “phishing” or “spoofing” are becoming more common and may appear legitimate by incorporating company brands, colors, or other legal disclaimers. Help protect yourself by becoming familiar with these methods of fraud:Spam: Often referred to as “junk mail,” spam consists of e-mail messages that are unsolicited by the recipient and that target the recipient with direct mail messages.
Phishing: The term “phishing,” as in fishing for confidential information, refers to a scam in which the sender attempts to fraudulently obtain and use personal or financial information.Please be advised that UPS does not request payments, personal information, financial information, account numbers, IDs, passwords, or copies of invoices in an unsolicited manner through e-mail, mail, phone, or fax or specifically in exchange for the transportation of goods or services. UPS accepts no responsibility for any costs or charges incurred as a result of fraudulent activity. If you have questions about this type of fraud, please contact your UPS representative or e-mail us at fraud@ups.com to verify the validity of any communications.
See examples of fraudulent UPS emails: http://www.ups.com/media/news/en/fraud_email_examples.pdf
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/fraud.html
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/sites.html
If you believe that a company is using the UPS brand inappropriately, have found a website that fraudulently claims to be part of UPS, or have seen UPS logos or trademarks used in what appears to be an unlicensed or improper manner, we want to hear about it at fraud@ups.com.