Plain-language scam safety for older adults and the families who look out for them.

Posted October 29, 2026

Holiday shipping season: fake "missed delivery" texts and unpaid toll texts

With holiday shopping starting, many of us are expecting packages. Scammers know that, and they send texts that look like they come from the Post Office, UPS, FedEx, or a toll agency like NC Quick Pass. The good news: both kinds of text are easy to check on your own, without using anything in the message.

1. Fake package delivery texts (USPS, UPS, FedEx)

How it works: You get a text saying a package couldn't be delivered because of a problem with your address, unpaid postage, or a missed delivery. It includes a link to "reschedule" or pay a small "redelivery fee." The link goes to a look-alike website that collects your card number and personal information. AARP reports that, according to the Federal Trade Commission, package delivery messages were the most-reported kind of text scam. One caller to AARP's helpline paid a 99-cent fee and was later charged $400.

Red flags:

• A text from the Post Office when you never signed up for tracking on that package. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says USPS doesn't text you unless you asked for updates with a tracking number, and its texts won't contain a link.
• A request for a fee, your card number, or personal information to release a package
• No tracking number, or a web address that's close to the real one but not quite (for example, "fedx" instead of "fedex")

What to do: Don't tap the link or reply. If you're expecting something, look it up on the store's website where you ordered it, or type usps.com, ups.com, or fedex.com into your browser yourself. A paper "missed delivery" note on your door works the same way: look up the carrier's number on its official website instead of calling the number on the note.

Sources: AARP, updated Oct. 28, 2026 · U.S. Postal Inspection Service · USPIS holiday tips · FCC

2. "Unpaid toll" texts, including fake NC Quick Pass messages

How it works: A text says you owe a small unpaid toll and will be charged a late fee, or lose your license or registration, if you don't pay through a link. North Carolina's Attorney General and the NC Turnpike Authority say these texts are sent at random, so you can get one even if you've never driven on a toll road. WXII reported in March that the NC Department of Justice was warning about a newer version claiming an unpaid parking or toll violation.

How to tell the real NC Quick Pass from a fake:

• NC Quick Pass only sends texts from the short number 696277.
• NC Quick Pass never asks for payment by text.
• Real NC Quick Pass links contain ncquickpass.com.
• NC Quick Pass won't threaten legal action over an unpaid toll, and you won't lose your license for one, according to the state.

What to do: Don't tap the link or reply, not even "STOP" or "Y." To check whether you really owe anything, type ncquickpass.com into your browser yourself, or call NC Quick Pass at 877-769-7277. If the text names a toll agency in another state, look up that agency's number on its own website. Then delete the text.

Sources: NC Department of Justice & NC Turnpike Authority · NC Quick Pass scam alert, May 2026 · WXII, March 25, 2026 · FBI IC3 public service announcement

Where to report these texts

• Forward the text to 7726 (spells "SPAM"). This helps your phone company block similar messages. Many phones also have a "Report junk" button.
• Fake Post Office texts: email a screenshot to spam@uspis.gov.
• Fake UPS or FedEx texts: forward them to fraud@ups.com or abuse@fedex.com.
• Any of these scams: report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or the FBI at ic3.gov.

If you already clicked or paid

It happens to careful people every day. Call the number on the back of your bank or credit card to tell them, and ask about disputing the charge. Keep an eye on your statements for charges you don't recognize. The Postal Inspection Service also suggests calling your bank if you typed anything into the website, even if you never pressed "submit."

If something doesn't feel right

Take your time, and talk it over with someone you trust. If you think you've been targeted, call the NC Department of Justice at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360. There's no shame in it, and reporting helps your neighbors too.

This alert summarizes the news reports and official warnings linked above. It's general information, not legal or financial advice.

Posted October 29, 2026

Three scams making the rounds this fall: fake deed letters, Medicare calls, and voter texts

Here are three scams that local, state, and federal officials have warned about in the past few weeks. Each one has a simple way to check before you pay or share anything.

1. Fake "property records" letters in Forsyth County

How it works: The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office says residents have received letters that claim to come from the "County Property Records Office" and say the person owes money for a copy of a deed transfer. The letters ask for a check or credit card information mailed to a P.O. box in Florida. The Sheriff's Office checked with the county, which confirmed the letter is not an official Forsyth County document.

Red flags deputies pointed out:

• The return address isn't in Winston-Salem
• Payment goes to Tampa, Florida
• Payment is requested by mail

What to do: Don't use the phone number or address in the letter. Call the Sheriff's Office at 336-917-2112, or find the Forsyth County Register of Deeds on the county's own website.

Sources: WXII, Sept. 4, 2026 · ABC45, Sept. 22, 2026

2. Medicare open enrollment calls and texts

How it works: Medicare open enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. The Better Business Bureau told WCNC that scammers use calls and texts offering "better coverage at a better price" to get people's Medicare numbers, sometimes asking, "Did you get your new Medicare number? Read me your old one."

Red flags:

• An unexpected call or text asking for your Medicare number
• A salesperson who shows up at your door uninvited. The NC Department of Insurance says Medicare insurers aren't supposed to sell door to door.

What to do: Hang up. For free, unbiased help comparing plans, call North Carolina's SHIIP program at 855-408-1212 (weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), visit Medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Sources: NC Department of Insurance, Oct. 14, 2026 · WCNC, Oct. 15, 2026

3. "You're not registered to vote" texts and fake campaign pitches

How it works: The FBI warns that some people are getting texts or emails saying they aren't registered to vote, with a link to a fake registration page built to collect personal information. The FBI also warns about "campaign investment pools" that promise a payout if a candidate wins, and fake political action committees that keep donations.

Red flags: a link in an unexpected text about your registration, or anyone calling a campaign donation an "investment." The FBI notes that donations never grow in value or get paid back.

What to do: Don't click the link. Check your registration yourself with the NC State Board of Elections voter search. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Sources: FBI IC3 public service announcement, Oct. 15, 2026 · WFMY News 2, Oct. 21, 2026

If something doesn't feel right

Take your time, and talk it over with someone you trust. If you think you've been targeted, call the NC Department of Justice at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. There's no shame in it, and reporting helps your neighbors too.

This alert summarizes the news reports and official warnings linked above. It's general information, not legal or financial advice.