FedEx SMS Scam: what to do if it reaches your mobile

Since the Covid-19 and its restrictions passed through our lives, the number of orders and shipments by postal mail of all kinds of products has multiplied. And that trend has not stopped with the end of the pandemic. Unfortunately, and inevitably, fraud associated with parcel delivery arrived. One of them is that of FedEx SMS scam, which we will discuss here in detail.

It is convenient to know what this deception is, how it works and what is the damage it can cause, which is not little. Only then can we adequately protect ourselves to keep our smartphone and its content safe.

Obviously the company FedEx it has nothing to do with this. On the contrary, it usually warns its user clients to be wary of messages of this type to avoid fraud.

This is how the scam works

A suspicious SMS

The hook to make us bite into this scam is a simple SMS. The message seems innocent, with a short text and an attached link that we are invited to click to manage a pending shipment. A FedEx package on our behalf.

The worst thing we can do in this case is to click on the link, because by doing so we will let it penetrate our device one of the most sophisticated and harmful viruses that have been designed in recent years for Android phones. 

We must be wary of these messages, even if they are addressed to our name or if they come to us from a Spanish phone that could very well be one of those that works with FedEx.

Regarding the text of the message, the scammers play with different versions. In some they notify us of a supposed package that we are going to receive, while in others they inform us of a package that could not be delivered. In all cases, a link is attached in which they indicate that we must click to manage the procedure.

What's behind the link?

If we are naive enough to click on the link in this message, this will lead us to a website that simulates the appearance of the official FedEx website, although if we are a bit observant and distrustful, we will realize that this is not the case. We are still in time to back down.

Next, the victim of the scam receives a request to download an application in installable format, which is nothing more than a fraudulent APK. To install it, the app will ask us for all kinds of permissions. If we commit the imprudence of accepting, we will be opening the doors of all our files and passwords.

FedEX SMS scam: damages and consequences

The effects of downloading this APK on our mobile device are simply devastating. This is all that this dangerous virus can do:

SMS behind our backs

The new app installed will replace the SMS app. Because of this, the messages that this app sends and receives on our behalf will be invisible to us.

Access to private passwords and bank accounts

Everything we do or write on the mobile will be recorded and stored by the app. Without us being it, it could know our usernames and passwords to access other applications and websites. And that includes the access to our email and our bank accounts.

Infection to our contacts

And there is more: the virus is capable of infect the phones in our contact list with the sending of the SMS that we already know. It is likely that, seeing that it is we who send it (as much as it is not true), some contacts and friends will fall into the trap.

As you can see, responding to this SMS can trigger a lot of terrible things that will complicate our lives. To avoid it, the best thing is prevention.

How to avoid falling into the trap

Although no one is one hundred percent safe from being deceived by this type of scam, there are some Precautions that we can take and that can prevent us from having problems. Sometimes, it is enough to be observant and have a minimum of common sense:

• If you are not expecting a package from FedEx or you have never used this company, obviously you have to ignore the SMS.
• On the other hand, if it turns out that you are expecting a shipment with this company, remember that It is not normal or usual to have to download an app to track the package and other procedures.
• If you still have doubts, take a look at the wording and spelling of the message. Scammers often fail at that.

What if my mobile has already been infected?

There are some tracks that help us to know if our mobile has already been infected: the appearance of our SMS application, abnormal functioning of other smartphone applications, etc. You know your phone well and you know what is normal and what is not.

See also: How to know if I have a virus on my iPhone and how to remove it

At the slightest suspicion, you have to act fast so that the virus does not have time to cause further damage. There is no need to wait for a phone bill to arrive due to the massive sending of SMS messages or to find our bank account empty when going to pay something.

Unfortunately, in addition to its enormous capacity to do damage, uninstalling this app is quite difficult, since it will defend itself against all the attempts we make against it. Even so, there are some methods that will be useful against this unpleasant and dangerous intruder on our device:

• Access Android Safe Mode and from there try to uninstall the app manually.
• Restore Android factory settings, which is like formatting the mobile. Keep in mind that by doing this, everything that we do not have saved in backup copies will be lost.

Finally, in order to minimize damage, it is a good idea to report the infection to our operator and our bank. We must also notify our contacts about what has happened and alert them about the fraudulent SMS that may reach them.