Springfield, MA — In response to a growing number of complaints, the US Postal Service is alerting the general public to the stream of bogus e-mails that are currently circulating about a package delivery or online postage charges. The e-mails contain a link or attachment that, when opened, installs a malicious virus that can steal personal information from your PC.

The e-mails claim to be from the U.S. Postal Service and contain fraudulent information about an attempted or intercepted package delivery or online postage charges. Customers are instructed to click on a link or open an attachment. Do not click on the link or open the attachment as it does not originate from the Postal Service.

Like most viruses sent by e-mail, clicking on the link or opening the attachment will activate a virus that can steal information—such as your user name, password, and financial account information. So, what you do? The Postal Service recommends simply deleting the message.

The United States Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement and security branch of the Postal Service, is working hard to resolve this issue and shut down the malicious program. Customers looking to report spam, can e-mail spam@uspis.gov.

If you believe you’re a victim of fraud related to the U.S. Mail, you may report any concerns to the Postal Inspection Service by calling 877-876-2455 or by going online to file a complaint at: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/filecomplaint.aspx .

Questions about mail delivery can be directed to 1-800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777)

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. In 2011, the U.S. Postal Service was ranked number one in overall service performance, out of the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world, Oxford Strategic Consulting. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for six years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

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