Kaspersky experts have detected a wave in scams related to the RAM courier service in South Africa: fraudsters are employing deceptive tactics to trick unsuspecting users into divulging their financial information by claiming packages were undelivered due to unpaid customs fees.
Cybercriminals are sending deceptive emails that appear to be from the popular RAM courier service, falsely claiming that a package was not delivered due to pending customs fees.
To create a sense of urgency, the email urges users to click on a provided link for further instructions.
When users click on the link, they are redirected to a fraudulent website masquerading as a legitimate RAM courier service portal.
Upon reaching the fraudulent website, victims are prompted to input their bank card credentials, providing cybercriminals with direct access to sensitive financial information.
Falling prey to this scam exposes individuals to potential identity theft, financial fraud, and significant personal losses.
It’s important to note that the website and the email domains used by the scammers have no relation to RAM and are clearly fake.
“As technology continues to permeate all aspects of our lives, the use of courier services continues to grow and plays an important logistics role, especially for the e-commerce market,” says Roman Dedenok, spam analysis expert at Kaspersky. “In fact, research highlights that in South Africa the courier, express and parcel (CEP) market size is expected to grow from $2,2-billion in 2020 to $3,5-billion by 2027.
“The sad reality is that cybercriminals see this as an opportunity to exploit the market and customers using such services on a regular basis, trying to trick them with scam and phishing mails. And, although our research has identified specific tactics using the RAM name, it should be noted that such scams do also use the names of other popular courier services and come in the form of SMS too, and not just email,” he adds.
“When watching out for scam and phishing emails, pay attention to the emotional tone conveyed in the message. Scammers often try to evoke fear, excitement, or urgency, to manipulate recipients into taking impulsive actions. Take a step back and analyse how the email makes you feel. This can be key to identifying and avoiding phishing scams effectively.”