Warning about phishing messages and fraudulent buyers on social media

GLS warns against fraudulent SMS messages and fake e-mails that pretend to be official GLS communications, but which aim to obtain personal data or financial gain.

If you have received or are still receiving a payment request, do not comply with it under any circumstances. If you have complied with a payment request, we strongly recommend filing a report with your local police. GLS distances itself from such fraud attempts.

Here are some tips to help detect fraud and avoid being victimized:

  • We do not transport cash (currency in legal tender), securities or bank checks.
  • We do not intervene in economic money transactions, either between individuals or between companies.
  • We are not intermediaries or depositories in the sale of second-hand products.
  • We do not request payment details by e-mail or SMS to create a customer account at GLS.
  • We do not use online platforms dedicated to the sale of products to promote our shipments or services.
  • If you are expecting a parcel from a country outside the EU or if you are based in a country outside the EU, you can be contacted to fill in and deliver the documents for customs clearance of the package, any fees (customs, customs duty or VAT) are then handled by invoice or by individuals by cash on delivery for the package.
  • Cash on delivery parcels sent using the GLS Cash Service is only given to recipients against cash payment to the delivery driver.

Please be aware that GLS is not liable for any damage caused by the fraudulent actions of third parties who misuse our company's name. Your safety is our top priority, and we appreciate your vigilance in preventing fraud.

Known types of fraud and communication channels

There are a variety of different types of fraud on different communication channels, such as

  • Fraudulent (phishing) e-mails
  • Fraudulent SMS messages
  • Fake GLS websites
  • Fraudulent communication on social networks
We take a proactive approach to fraud and are grateful for any reports of fraudulent activity on behalf of GLS. Please let us know as soon as possible if you suspect you have received fake e-mails or SMS, or if a website or social media account is impersonating GLS, so we can take swift action to stop the fraud.

Please report any suspicious activity to our Information Security team at

it@gls-czech.com

We thoroughly investigate every report of suspected fraud, but generally do not respond to personal inquiries. If you have questions about the status of a shipment or invoice, please send them directly to the customer service team of your country.

GLS sends e-mails to customers only for related business needs like parcel shipping instructions or information about delivery status. GLS will never demand any payment by e-mail using Credit Cards, online payment systems, or bank transfers.

Indicators for fraud e-mails:

  • E-mail subject that should build on pressure or threaten with consequences for the recipient
  • Spelling mistakes and informal speech
  • Sender addresses from @gmail, @gmx, @yahoo, or other private email addresses which are not originate from GLS

To effectively combat fraudulent e-mails, send the suspicious e-mail as an attachment* to it@gls-czech.com . Of course, you can also provide us with screenshots, URLs to suspicious content, or other evidence that can be helpful to identify the fraud. Forwarding a message is often not sufficient because important e-mail data will be lost. Therefore, sending the original e-mail as an attachment is the most accurate evidence.

*Saving an e-mail is possible with almost any e-mail program or web service. Mostly there is an option "Save e-mail as".

If you receiving fraudulent messages via SMS or Instant Messenger, please provide us with screenshots of the conversation as well as the contact name and phone number of the person who sends you the message.You can report fraudulent SMS and Instant Messenger messages to it@gls-czech.com .

In the past GLS has discovered several fake websites using GLS logos, names, and content that are used by criminals to commit fraud against GLS customers and non-customers. These websites are designed to trick people into obtaining sensitive data like login credentials or financial data.

The main website of GLS is gls-group.eu. From this domain, you can access the websites of each GLS country. Only this website and the websites to which it links are legitimate GLS websites.

If you are not sure whether a website is from GLS or not, you should check the following things first:

  • Is the URL address of the website related to GLS?
  • Is the connection to the website secured? There should be a “lock” sign in front of the URL.
  • Does the website look professional? Are there spelling mistakes?

If a website seems strange to you, please report it immediately to it@gls-czech.com by providing the link to the website. We will then carry out an investigation and take further countermeasures if necessary.

GLS runs some official social media accounts, among others on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. However, you will always see a link to our website gls-group.eu , and an imprint on official social media accounts. Furthermore, we will never actively write to you via messenger, unless in response to your questions.

Below you can find some indicators to identify fraudulent social media accounts:

  • The account is newly created or just a couple of weeks old
  • The account provides no official information or contact channels
  • The account has no reference to our main GLS website
  • The account attempts to contact you proactively via instant messenger
  • The account offers special gifts or references to websites other than GLS

If you sell goods on an advertising portal, it is always good to pay attention when:

  • he interested party asks first about the payment and does not deal with the goods themselves
  • The interested party requests payment for the transport
  • The prospect tries to induce mutual empathy, for example, by telling you that he himself has already been cheated on and now wants to do it right

In case you doubt that a social media account is valid, please report the social media account to it@gls-czech.com . If we confirm that the social media account is fraudulent, you can also report the account directly to the social media channel as fraud.

Scammers are also lurking on advertising portals and we can also find them among buyers. They look like people interested in the goods you offer on advertising websites such as Bazoš, Sbazar or Facebook Market.

The scammer says they sent the money via credit card and sends the seller a link. The only thing the seller has to do to receive the money is to click on the link and fill in the details of the card to which he wants to receive the money. With a view to selling the goods, the seller fills in this information. The fraudster has all the information about the client's card and makes the payment – of course, for his own benefit, not for the seller's benefit.

Remember: GLS will never ask you for money through dubious internet links, Facebook chats and bazaars.

Example of fraudulent communication

Please contact us in case of suspected fraud
Please contact us in case of suspected fraud
Information Security Team

it@gls-czech.com