One woman believes she narrowly escaped being scammed and praised TikTok for raising awareness. She also used the platform to release a PSA to help others avoid falling victim to similar scams.
In a TikTok video uploaded by user Tammy (@thefoxypineapple), which has more than 3.6 million views, the woman explained what happened.
“I got a scam in the mail and if it weren’t for TikTok, I definitely would have been scammed,” the woman begins in the video, holding a small package in her hand as she speaks.
How FedEx package fraud works
One day, a FedEx delivery man reportedly showed up at the woman’s doorstep and waited for her to sign so he could receive the package.
Tammy explained to viewers that she was immediately alarmed as she hadn’t ordered anything and wasn’t expecting a package to arrive.
“I’m not expecting anything,” she explained. “I keep track of everything I buy, and I know nothing will arrive at my house.”
Still, she signed and received the package. Inside was a tiny plastic-wrapped makeup brush with a QR code attached to it.
“Normally I’d be like, ‘What is this?'” [then] “Take out my phone and scan it,” the woman continued.
But she recently saw another user’s TikTok video and realized it might be a scam.
“She said, ‘I scanned it and it has all the information on your phone and your phone has been hacked,'” the woman continued.
Finally, she urged viewers to never scan QR codes on unexpected packages.
Do not scan QR codes on unexpected packages
According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, QR code scams are popular and “KissingScammers place QR codes in prominent locations to direct unsuspecting victims to seemingly legitimate websites, which they then use to try to lure people into providing personal and financial information.
FedEx is web page It details common scams consumers should look out for, as well as a hotline for reporting strange packages.
In July, a woman on TikTok went viral after sharing a similar story of receiving a small package unexpectedly in the mail, which also came with a suspicious QR code.
Follow Please take note of this and do not scan any QR codes you receive. #scam #FraudWarning #QR code #qrcodescam #Email scam #con man #Looks like a scammer #fyp #viral #be careful #Telephone scams #hacked ♬ Original Sound – Tammy
The Daily Dot has reached out to FedEx via email for more information and comment, and The Daily Dot has also reached out to Tammy via direct message on Instagram for comment.
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