OnTrac scam texts: how to spot a fake delivery message
Quick answer
A text saying an OnTrac package is stuck and asking for a fee or your details is a common delivery scam. Don't click. Check tracking with the store you ordered from, or OnTrac through a site you type in yourself. Forward the text to 7726 and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Pretends to be
- OnTrac
- Last updated
How it works
Fake delivery messages are one of the most common text scams. The FTC describes the pattern: a text or email says there is a problem with a package, and a link leads to a look-alike site that asks for personal or financial details or a small 'redelivery fee'.
Scammers use whichever carrier name is likely to ring a bell, and OnTrac is one of them. They send messages to huge numbers of people whether or not a package is on its way.
The messages push you to act fast, often saying the package will be returned unless you respond.
Red flags
- A delivery text about a package you aren't expecting
- A link instead of a tracking number you can check on your own
- A demand for a small fee to release or redeliver the package
- A request to confirm your address, card number or other personal details
- Urgency: the package will be returned unless you act now
Example message
OnTrac: your package could not be delivered due to an incomplete address. Confirm your details and pay the $[amount] redelivery fee at [link] or it will be returned.
What to do
- 1
Don't click or pay
Skip the link and don't pay any fee requested by text.
- 2
Check the delivery another way
Look up tracking in the account of the store you ordered from, or contact the carrier using a number or website you know is real, not one from the text.
- 3
If you entered details, act on them
Change any password you typed, and call your card issuer on the number on the card if you entered card details.
- 4
Watch your statements
Look for charges you don't recognize over the next weeks and ask your bank or card issuer to reverse them.
- 5
Report it
Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), then report it to the FTC.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers need your phone number or email, and often your name, before they can send a message that looks personal. They buy that from data brokers and people-search sites, or take it from data breaches. A delivery scam only needs a working phone number, which is why these texts reach people who aren't expecting anything. Serus finds the brokers that list your details where you live and sends the removal requests, and it alerts you when your email or phone number turns up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Frequently asked
Is the OnTrac text real?
If it came out of the blue with a link and a fee or a request for personal details, treat it as a scam. Check tracking through the store or a site you type in yourself.
Is OnTrac a scam?
No. OnTrac is a real delivery company. Scammers use carrier names, including OnTrac, in fake texts.
Would a real carrier text me for a fee?
The FTC says the real USPS never demands payment to redeliver a package. Treat a fee request in any delivery text the same way.
I clicked but entered nothing. Am I OK?
Likely yes. Close the page and don't go back. If you entered anything, change passwords and call your card issuer.
Sources
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