Fraudulent shipment tracking scams escalate worldwide

More than 100 fraudulent shipment tracking scam campaigns have been deployed worldwide monthly on average in 2025, compared with nearly nonexistent activity in 2024, according to Infosecurity Magazine.

Most of the campaigns which involved the creation of phishing sites using disposable or trusted domains and the subsequent delivery of illicit SMS messages seeking updated recipient address details or fee payments in a bid to pilfer funds and credentials have been launched in June and December, with the majority of phishing sites leveraging the Darcula phishing-as-a-service platform, a report from Group-IB's Threat Intelligence research team showed. Multiple organizations across different sectors around the world have already been compromised with Darcula since its emergence in 2023.

Organizations have been recommended to combat escalating fake shipment tracking scams not only by bolstering education efforts about ongoing phishing campaigns but also by reinforcing domain security protocols, implementing a brand protection service, offering a public tracking number verification tool, and establishing a straightforward reporting channel.