Is coaa.usps.gov a Scam Change of Address Website?
COAA USPS located at coaa.usps.gov is a legitimate United States Postal Service website for switching or changing your address. But, you should be extremely cautious when searching for official websites which allow you to update your address and other personally identifying information (PII). This is because scammers are creating fake websites that look like services pretending to help switch your address for a move, sell property titles, renew your driver's license and more.
Fake websites trick consumers into paying steep prices for services that are typically free or low cost. Also, sharing your information with scammers through these phony sites puts you at risk for identity theft.
How the Scam Works
One common version of this scam involves changing your address through the United States Postal Service (USPS). You type “address change” or a similar query into a search engine. Several results pop up. You click on the one that looks official and says USPS. When the site loads, everything looks normal, you fill out the forms and make a payment with your credit or debit card. Shortly after, you notice a hefty charge from a business that is not the postal service. When you call the company to find out what happened, they claim, at best, that they can only offer you a partial refund. The cost to change your address with the USPS should only be $1.05; visit the official USPS change of address site. In Canada, visit the official Canadian government change of address site for information.
The U.S. Postal Service is enhancing security protocols surrounding its Change of Address (COA) service by implementing additional identity verification methods. These enhancements are designed to address global identity theft concerns, and to protect customers' information. The Change of Address service remains simple and convenient to use. It can be completed in a few steps, online at USPS.com, or by visiting one of more than 33,000 local Post Office locations.
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Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.