Consumers love to shop online, especially during the holidays. Unfortunately, having the item delivered to the proper address does not guarantee you (or they) will receive it. According to a Security.org study, package thieves stole more than $18 billion in merchandise over the last year. If that isn’t enough to worry about, scammers continue to bombard consumers with fake shipping notifications, hoping to steal money or personal information.

Simple steps like keeping track of purchases and who you should expect notifications from, can help you avoid scammers.

BBB has these tips to help shoppers protect their packages: 

• Keep track of your deliveries. Scammers send fake shipping texts and hope you’ll just assume they are talking about a package you ordered recently, without double-checking. It will be much harder for them to fool you if you know what packages you are expecting, from what companies, and when.

• Pay attention to the message sender. Delivery companies will never contact you with unsolicited calls or texts. Depending on how you signed up for notifications, messages usually are posted within a secure online portal. Be leery of unsolicited messages, especially if you never signed up for text alerts. Pay attention to the number or email the message came from. Watch for extra letters or characters in the sender’s information that may try to convince you they are someone you recognize.

• Never give sensitive personal information to strangers. Avoid clicking on links sent via text or providing payment information. If you believe there is an issue, visit the company’s website directly and log in to your account, or call the company directly.

• Don’t leave unattended packages. If you are expecting a package, attempt to schedule its delivery when you know you will be home or ask a neighbor to hold it for you. Some retailers (like Amazon, a BBB Accredited Business) offer “garage delivery” to avoid having packages sitting out in the open.

• Ship to store, storefront or post office box. Retailers will require proof of purchase or identification before releasing packages they have received.

• Require a signature. Many delivery companies include the option to require a signature before leaving a package, letting you take physical possession of the item as soon as it is delivered.

For more information 

If you fear your package being stolen, file a report with your local police department and the delivery company. Depending on your delivery service, they may offer insurance or other policies to reimburse you for your losses.

If you think you clicked on a fraudulent shipping text link, check out our scam survival kit. We will walk you through steps you can take to recover any money or information you may have lost.

Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker.

For more online shopping resources and tips, visit BBB.org/OnlineShopping.