Parcel delivery scam text: how to spot it and what to do
"We couldn't deliver your parcel. Pay a small fee to rebook." Messages like this rarely come from a courier. They come from scammers who want your card details or your bank login. Here is how to spot them, how to check a real delivery and what to do if you've already tapped the link.
Key points
- A text about a missed delivery, a redelivery fee or an "incomplete address" with a link is one of the most common scam messages.
- Don't tap the link. Check the delivery yourself – in the courier's app, on its official website or with the tracking number from the shop where you ordered.
- Entered card details or approved a payment? Call your bank straight away and block the card.
- Report the text: forward it to 7726 (UK and US), then delete it and block the number.
How the scam works
- A text arrives – sometimes an email. Your parcel "couldn't be delivered", the "address is incomplete", there's a "redelivery fee" or a "customs charge" to pay. Scammers send these messages to huge numbers of people, so many of them really are waiting for a parcel.
- A link to a convincing fake page. It copies the courier's logo and colours and asks for a small payment.
- Your details go straight to the scammer. Card number, expiry date, security code, sometimes your name, address and date of birth. The FTC warns that some links lead to fake sites that steal logins, and some can install malware.
- The follow-up. With your card details and personal information, scammers may try to spend money, or call you pretending to be your bank "about suspicious payments" – see Bank impersonation scam call.
What real couriers say they don't do
- US Postal Service: according to the US Postal Inspection Service, USPS does not send texts or emails unless you first requested the service with a tracking number – and those messages will not contain a link. An unexpected USPS text with a link is a scam.
- Evri (UK): its texts will never ask you to reschedule a delivery or pay to do so. They come from the sender name "Evri", not a mobile number, and only ever contain a tracking link to evri.com.
- In general: the FTC says real companies generally don't ask for account details by text. If you're unsure, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real.
Warning signs
- You weren't expecting anything – or you were, but the message doesn't match the shop you ordered from.
- A payment for redelivery, "customs" or an "address update" by a link in a text.
- It comes from an ordinary mobile number or an odd email address, not the courier's usual sender name.
- The web address is not the courier's own domain – extra words, hyphens, unusual endings. You can check a link without opening it with our link checker.
- Pressure: "your parcel will be returned within 24 hours".
How to check a delivery safely
- Don't use the link in the message. Open the courier's app or type its website address yourself.
- Use the tracking number from the shop – it's in your order confirmation email or your account on the shop's website.
- Contact the shop you ordered from if something looks wrong. It knows which courier is delivering your order.
Tapped the link? What to do now
| What happened | What to do |
|---|---|
| You only opened the page | Close it and don't enter anything. The US Postal Inspection Service still recommends telling your bank if you interacted with the link. |
| You entered card details | Call your bank immediately and block the card – use the number on the back of the card or in the banking app. In the UK, you can call 159 to reach your bank safely. Check your statements for payments you don't recognise. |
| You approved a payment or shared a code from a text | Call your bank straight away and say it's fraud. The sooner you act, the better the chance of stopping the payment. |
| You entered a login or password | Change the password at once – everywhere you use it – and turn on two-step verification. More in Entered your details on a phishing site. |
| You installed an app from the link (Android) | Disconnect from the internet, uninstall the app and contact your bank. If you're unsure, back up your photos and reset the phone. |
Report it
- UK: forward the text free of charge to 7726 – your provider can investigate where it came from and block the sender. Forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. If you lost money, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland); in Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101. Texts or emails pretending to be Evri can also go to Evri at phishing@hermes-europe.co.uk with a screenshot.
- US: forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For texts pretending to be USPS, the Postal Inspection Service asks you to email spam@uspis.gov with the message text (copied without tapping the link), a screenshot showing the sender's number and the date, and whether you lost money or shared personal information.
- On your phone: use the "report junk" or "report spam" option in your messaging app, then delete the message and block the number.
How to protect yourself
- Track parcels only in the courier's app or the shop's account – never through links in unexpected texts.
- Turn on spam filtering for messages on your phone, as the FTC recommends, and ask your provider about text blocking.
- Use a credit card or a payment service for online shopping – it's easier to dispute a payment. More in Fake online shop.
- Tell your family. Parcel texts reach everyone; older relatives may not know that couriers don't ask for fees by text.
Sources
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