Imagine receiving a package from
T-Mobile that you weren’t expecting. Ripping open the box, you notice that it contains two
iPhone 16 Pro units, two cases, two removable privacy screens, a couple of wall chargers, and two pairs of AirPods. The recipient of the box,
who is a Reddit subscriber, thought that perhaps he had, by mistake, received someone else’s order. However, the box was addressed to the Reddit subscriber and includes the correct address. He is a
T-Mobile subscriber.
If you’re a long-time loyal customer of a wireless carrier, they might surprise you with a free phone. In 2016, a
Verizon subscriber I know received a free Moto Z Droid Force smartphone which was a high-end model at the time. According to the
T-Mobile subscriber who received the two free
iPhone 16 Pro units and two of the aforementioned accessories, “My name is on the label and everything including my address. I am a
T-Mobile customer but I didn’t order anything. This is honestly so bizarre.”
Check your T-Mobile account to make sure that unauthorized purchases weren’t placed on your account
Another Reddit subscriber suggested that the recipient of the box check his
T-Mobile account to make sure that what he received wasn’t an unauthorized purchase made on his account by a commission-hungry
T-Mobile rep. Hey, stuff like this really happens. The recipient checked his
T-Mobile account and found no unauthorized purchases or line additions which actually ratchets up the mystery to another level.
Contents of an unexpected package received from T-Mobile by a T-Mobile customer. | Image credit-Reddit
The recipient of the package does need to be on the lookout for a text, email, or phone call claiming to be from T-Mobile that says the shipment was sent to him by error. This message will probably request some information about his T-Mobile account so that a note can be added explaining what happened. The call, the text, or the email would go one to say that the recipient won’t be charged for the products that were in the box if he sends them back immediately.
Another possibility is that a fake call, text, or email claiming to be from
T-Mobile will ask for a credit card number so they can credit your card with the cost of the products that were accidentally sent to you. They will probably tell you that the credit card transaction will be reversed once they receive back the phones and accessories. Earlier this month we told you about
a different attack that does have some of the red flags we are discussing in this article.
If this happens to you, do not respond to such a message and do not give out your account number, PIN, or password. Do not give out any bank or credit card information. A rogue insider could have been paid off to send you the package which would be followed by the aforementioned phone call or fake email/text. Once the attacker gets control of your account, he can change passcodes and passwords to lock you out of your apps and online accounts and steal your money. Be alert.
Heading to a T-Mobile corporate store might be the best response you can make
Or, an insider might have been able to ship you the package and the phones to your address and demand that you send them back to a bogus address. Once they receive the phones from you, they can call T-Mobile, pretend to be you, and have your current eSIM transferred to the new iPhone 16 Pro units. At that point, the attackers have control of your apps including your financial apps.
If this scenario, as strange as it is, happens to you, call a legit
T-Mobile number. Do not get that number from
Google as recently we’ve learned that some scammers will pay for search ads that contain fake phone numbers for carriers’ customer service lines. Better yet, drive to your local corporate
T-Mobile store. Ask for a manager and explain the situation.
By visiting a corporate T-Mobile store, you might be able to discover whether you’re being set up for an attack on your bank, crypto, credit card, or securities accounts, or being rewarded for your loyalty to T-Mobile.
