For the past few weeks I have been noticing an increase in the number of scam e-mails I've been receiving that the spam folder seems to have missed. I've also noticed these e-mails in the spam folders, and those not familiar with the scams might think they have been marked spam by mistake. It's true that some e-mails that you really want can land in the spam folders, but those are usually from people you know or groups you belong to. Because spammers are getting so bold, the spam folders often collect anything with a subject header that contains the words "order" or "credit card" when they might be emails that actually are from your bank or from customers who do want to place an order. That's why I always do check through the hundreds of messages in my spam folder to make sure I don't miss an important e-mail. Some e-mail headers are so bad I feel like taking a bath after screening my e-mails. Some are honest about the product they are selling. Some have headers that are downright deceptive in getting you to click to open the email and see what they are really selling , or, in the worst case, they infect your computer if you open them. One of the most deceptive scams coming to your computer soon is the fake UPS e-mail notification. 

One scam I'm seeing more and more of is the UPS scam. Whether or not you have sent or are expecting something from UPS, you get an email similar to the one in the picture that says this:

UPS Tracking Number 9BYCL3N

Wednesday, August 5, 2009 10:31 AM
From: "Frederick Tyler" <dieseling@slamdesign.ru>

To: r.daigbarb@barbsbooks.com
Message contains attachments UPSNR_05fa2628.zip (27KB)
Dear customer!

We failed to deliver the package sent on the 15th of July in time
because the recipient’s address is not correct.

Please print out the invoice copy attached and collect the package at our office.

Your United Parcel Service of America

There are some things that you should observe right away about this e-mail.

1. The sender's e-mail address ends in .ru, which means it was sent from Russia. All fake messages might not come from Russia, but an official email from UPS will probably not be from another county.Also, as you will see in a later picture, the real UPS e-mails have a different From header.

2. The to header does not contain my proper e-mail address. They have taken my domain and added a non-existing prefix before the @ sign. So look closely to make sure the e-mail is actually addressed to your proper address.

3. You will notice that there is an attachment in this e-mail. Do not open it, or it will unload something nasty onto your computer.Supposedly this is an invoice to print and take "to our office." Isn't it odd that they don't give the location of the "office" you are to take it to?

4. The tracking number is much shorter than a real UPS tracking number, which looks more like this one: 1Z081Y0E0390613245

Delete this email without even opening it for the sake of your computer.

Quick UPdate, August 7, 2009: I just got another fake in today's in box. Check up the similarities with what I showed you above:

From: "Tanner Lovell" <testingl5@se.spb.ru>
To: <r.daigbarb@barbsbooks.com>
Subject: UPS Tracking Number I6FJM1V

The true e-mail notification that a package you sent could not be delivered has a heading like this:

(I changed my email address on the actual note I received)

This e-mail will either tell you that your package has been sent as you expected, or that there was a problem with delivery, or that the package has been delivered. If there is a problem, you won't have to click any attachments. The body of the e-mail will describe the problem. If the address wa invalid or the package was refused, they will tell you the package is being delivered back to you. I know this is true because I use UPS to ship packages on a frequent basis. I have gotten all the different kinds of official UPS notification messages. I had a package refused once and returned to my place of business. No one expected me to come pick it up.

Any official notification from UPS will have a tracking number like the one I showed you in the header above. above. It will link to the web site where you can see exactly what is happening to your package. The real UPS notification will also have the address that was shipped to and any other identifying information you put on the label. The fake notification has none of this.

I hope I have given you enough information here to easily spot the scam e-mails that are not really from UPS. Of course, the biggest clue is that you will not be getting an email about a UPS package you never sent. You will know enough so that you won't even open it if it's not from Quantum View or has an attachment. You will make sure it's not from an e-mail address in a suspect country such as Russia or Nigeria. The real UPS e-mails will have this address in the from header: UPS Quantum View" <auto-notify@ups.com. Stay safe on line and keep your computer happy.

The scam I have detailed on this page is one of many that send fraudulent e-mail messages that are supposedly from UPS. You can read about some of the others on the UPS site.