“YOU GOT SCAMMED!” It’s a dreaded phrase that no one wants to hear, but one that’s all too common thanks to sneaky scammers who are hellbent on making a buck the wrong way. With just a few steps though, you can effectively protect your uShip service provider account.
Take the case of a uShip service provider, Sam. He became all too familiar with these unsavory folks when he realized he’d been a victim of a common, but preventable, phishing scam.
Your uShip account security and safety are our top priorities. We have the largest feedback-rated carrier network and for good reason. While the business we’re in carries inherent risks, we do everything in our power to minimize them. While we do everything we can to create a secure experience within the uShip site, scammers can deceive users by creating a mirror-image of our real, legitimate site, a widely-used tactic called phishing.
Though Sam’s experience out of the ordinary, it’s not unheard of, and it’s a preventable mistake.
The Money Mystery
Sam is a carrier from Wisconsin who’s been using uShip for a few years. One day, he logged into his account to find the payment he’d received for a recent delivery unavailable. After checking his transaction history, he noticed the $335 he was supposed to be paid for the delivery was withdrawn to a Paypal account he didn’t recognize. In a panic, he called uShip Member Support to explain the issue.
The Explanation
The agent explained that Sam had clicked a fake link sent to the email address associated with his uShip account. The link led to a phishing site, where he entered his uShip login credentials. From there, the scammers who sent him the email were able to gain access to his account, and ultimately, his money.
If your account is compromised this way, the scammers may also be able to access your customers’ information and contact them without your knowledge. This type of scam can complicate the shipping process, resulting in you or your customers losing money, goods, or business.
The Fix
Luckily, Sam’s quick action in contacting uShip and alerting PayPal to the scam helped get his money back, as PayPal shut the illegitimate account down. Being vigilant is the first step to ensuring you won’t be at a loss.
There are several ways you can protect your uShip service provider account.
1. Never give your account information to anyone.
We’ll never request your password, so if someone claiming to be from uShip asks for it, you can be assured they aren’t trustworthy. If you get an unsolicited text or email from someone claiming they’re with uShip and prompting you to log in with a provided link, look for signs that indicate the message is coming from a scammer such as the URL they direct you to and the sender’s email address. Misspellings and bad grammar are also an indication the communication is not legitimate. If you’re still not sure, give us a call!
2. Be password smart.
Never use the same passwords for a variety of accounts. If one password gets compromised, they all do. When choosing a uShip password, use letters, numbers and case-sensitive characters to create a strong password, and change it periodically to minimize risk.
3. If you suspect something, take action.
If you think someone may have gained access to your account without permission, your first step is to change the password, then contact us. Remember, to gain access to your account, you’ll need to authenticate yourself by phone.
Following these steps, remaining vigilant, and keeping in contact with us if you suspect anything will keep your account as secure as possible. This way, you can focus on providing excellent service to your customers, not dealing with scammers.
