Computer users beware of an email scam circulating the panhandle; this time, scammer’s are posing as the United Parcel Service.

It's nothing new, as Phishers and Scammers are targeting numerous computer users across the U.S. Phishing e-mail messages are designed to steal your identity. They ask for personal data, or direct you to Web sites or phone numbers to call where they ask you to provide personal data.

Fraudulent e-mails adopt many different forms and are the unauthorized actions of third parties not associated with UPS. 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.

The most recent reported email titled: “YOUR PARCEL, (see photos tab to view the email in its entirety) , and claims to be from the UPS. It asks for users to enter all personal information including: Full name, Phone Number, Address, Occupation, State & Country. Below is what the Sender writes:
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Good day to you. We have been waiting for you to contact us for your Confirmable Parcel (Package) that is registered with us for shipping of your Package to Your residential location. This is to inform you hat we are in possession of your Parcel which includes a certified cheque worth of £1,500,000.00 and other vital documents that we facilitate the clearance of the cheque in your country. Be rest assured that, your cheque has been confirmed valid and true and delivery will be made once you have met the necessary requirements.

Note: That as soon as our Delivery Team confirms your information’s, it will take only two working days (48 hours) for your package to arrive it designated destination. Always be cautious and remember when opening emails, many contain spam and can potentially contain links, that when opened, will leave you with a nasty virus on your computer.
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If you receive a suspicious email, it is crucial to understand what is at stake.

-Email or Letter is from a different country including the most popular: London or Nigeria.

-Do not EVER click on links or websites provided in the email.

-Check the email address of the sender, and additionally, look at the website to see if it looks authentic. For example, in this case, Mrs. Dorothy Audrey, from London, claims to be with the UPS. She uses an email from G-Mail. Email: upschequedelivery@gmail.com The post office will NEVER use an email provider such as G-Mail to send out emails. More importantly, according to the UPS website, “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 in exchange for the transportation of goods or services.”

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.

If you receive a fraudulent or suspicious e-mail that claims to be from UPS, do not respond or open any attachments or links associated with the e-mail. Please forward the e-mail to fraud@ups.com before deleting.