Text messages warning people to update delivery address or forfeit packages

Rating Justification

The iVerify Pakistan team has reviewed this content and determined that it is false.

To arrive at this verdict, the iVerify Pakistan team investigated the circulated message by checking the Pakistan Post website to corroborate the matter.

HOW IT STARTED

Around the beginning of May 2024’s fourth week, members of the public said they received text messages, supposedly from Pakistan Post, informing them that their package would not reach them unless they updated their delivery address through a provided link.

The message reads, “(PakPost) The package cannot be delivered due to incorrect address. Update your address or it will be bounced.”

The message included a link for recipients to click on to proceed further.

The messages consistently presented themselves as official notices from Pakistan Post, pressing for an urgent response or risk delivery complications.

Some people even said they received the message, twice within a short time frame. One of the iVerify Pakistan team members also received the same text twice, despite not having ordered or expecting any parcel.

METHODOLOGY

The iVerify Pakistan team sought to determine the veracity of the message posing as Pakistan Post due to its widespread nature and the potential of its impact on the public in case it was by some other party.

To investigate the circulated message, the team visited the website of Pakistan Post to check for any updates about their delivery system.

Upon arriving on the website, the team was confronted with a pop-up message from the postal operator in English and Urdu, which said the text messages were scam messages being spread on a large scale.

The pop-up message is reproduced below:

“Be alert, Pakistan Post has its website for online tracking purposes at https://ep.gov.pk/. Any other link or website for tracking purposes does not belong to Pakistan Post. Pakistan Post collects duty and taxes imposed on articles through its own manual system. There is no online system/call centre to collect any amount from customers. Please do not access any online link or phone call to pay any amount through any cash app or debit/credit card while tracking your online order. In case of any fraud or loss of amount, Pakistan Post will not be responsible.”

Pakistan Post also issued the public warnings on its Facebook and Instagram pages here, here and here.

CONCLUSION

The iVerify Pakistan team has determined that the viral message posing as Pakistan Post and asking people to update their mailing address to receive their parcel is false.

The postal service has clearly said that it never asks people to update their address through text messages, especially not via links, and has labelled the widely sent text messages as a scam.

The service has also said that it is taking up the matter with the Federal Investigation Agency

Evidence and References

Pakistan Post May 22, 2024, Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/PakistanPostOffice.PK/posts/pfbid025cAKpFJZJVDCeG7EtHXqu1kMYzquEMJW4iaS9SxmBhiPsjf4yrHFQtQ4cxkGi1i1l

Pakistan Post May 23, 2024, Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/PakistanPostOffice.PK/posts/pfbid0bTUEtN1tBFfreeDUahzypDQrCysvJXoq6nS4k5e6LPSoRDz6iBm44kWCk7t37Ct9l

Pakistan Post May 22, 2024, Instagram post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7RxKacCudh/