Phone return scams: where a real delivery and a fake return end up in a bill for you

A caller offers you a free phone upgrade or an exclusive deal from your mobile provider. A new phone arrives at your home. So far, everything seems to check out. Then comes another call: There’s been a shipping mistake. You received the wrong phone, and the company needs you to send it back. You send it back, but the phone never reaches your provider, leaving you with a large charge or long-term contract to pay. Now police are warning about this scheme after residents lost devices and were left facing the associated payments. How phone return scams works The scam usually starts with a call from a spoofed number. In the US we’re seeing several examples in anonymized Malwarebytes Scam Guard records of the impersonated company being Canadian mobile provider Rogers. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warns: “After collecting personal information required for credit checks, they’ll order a new phone in your name.” Next, a genuine device arrives through a legitimate delivery service. That delivery makes the next part of the story easier to believe. The caller gets back in touch and claims something went wrong. Perhaps the company sent the wrong device, or an extra phone arrived by mistake. To put things right, you need to send it back using the label or shipping QR code they provide. The shipping label is the real trick. Rather than directing the package to the provider’s returns facility, it sends the device to an address chosen by the criminals. The result: You no longer have the phone, but your provider has not received it back. Victims can be left facing a contract, financing agreement, or monthly payments for the missing device. How to stay safe The most important protection against most types of scams is having someone you can trust and deliberate whether something is a scam. Malwarebytes Scam Guard can be that partner if you’re on your own. You don’t need to decide on the spot about whether a caller sounds convincing. Break the conversation and verify the offer separately. Pause and check if you encounter any of the following: An unexpected call offering a free phone, loyalty reward, or unusually attractive upgrade. A caller asking for personal, financial, or account information to arrange the offer. A follow-up call claiming the wrong device was shipped or that another delivery mistake needs correcting. Instructions to use a return label or QR code supplied by that caller. A return destination that you have not confirmed directly with your provider. If you’ve already sent a phone, contact your mobile provider immediately using verified contact details. Explain that you believe you were targeted by a phone return scam, identify the affected orders, and ask for a fraud investigation. If you shared your account password or PIN, change it through the provider’s official channels. Rogers advises customers who disclosed their credentials to reset them and contact customer service to check for unauthorized transactions. Keep the evidence: messages, emails, the shipping label, tracking details, order confirmations, bills, and a timeline of the calls. These records can help explain what happened to support a billing complaint and fraud report. Something feel off? Check it before you click. Malwarebytes Scam Guard helps you analyze suspicious links, texts, and screenshots instantly. Available with Malwarebytes Premium Security for all your devices, and in the Malwarebytes app for iOS and Android . Try it free → About the author Was a Microsoft MVP in consumer security for 12 years running. Can speak four languages. Smells of rich mahogany and leather-bound books.