Package delivery scam texts: how to spot the fake missed-delivery message
Quick answer
A text about a package, unpaid postage or a redelivery fee that includes a link is probably a scam. Don't click or pay. Check the tracking on the retailer's site or account you ordered from, and forward the text to 7726 (SPAM).
- Pretends to be
- USPS, FedEx and DHL
- Last updated
How it works
You get a text or email that says it's from USPS, FedEx or DHL. It might say an order is out for delivery, or there's a problem: unpaid postage, a missed delivery, or you need to update shipping preferences. It tells you to click a link.
The FTC says the click takes you to a look-alike of the real site, where you're asked for personal or financial information. Any payment, plus your card number, name and address, goes straight to the scammer.
The real USPS won't contact you out of the blue about a delivery (unless you asked and gave a tracking number) and won't demand payment to redeliver a package. These companies are impersonated, not the senders.
Red flags
- A delivery text you didn't expect, or for an order you didn't place
- A link to fix unpaid postage, a missed delivery or shipping preferences
- A small fee to redeliver your package
- A request to confirm card details
- A link that doesn't go to the carrier's real website
- Urgent language about the package being returned
Example message
USPS: your package is on hold due to an unpaid postage fee. Update your delivery details and pay at [link] to avoid it being returned.
What to do
- 1
Don't click the link or reply
Don't pay anything. Scammers want you to click.
- 2
Check the delivery yourself
Go to the retailer's website or your account where you ordered and look up the tracking there.
- 3
Filter and report
Use your phone's filter-and-block options for unknown senders. Report the text in your messaging app or forward it to 7726 (SPAM), then delete it.
- 4
If you paid or entered card details
Call your card issuer using the number on the back of your card, report it as fraud and ask for a refund. Watch for unauthorized charges.
- 5
If you gave other personal information
Change any passwords you shared and turn on two-factor authentication. Go to IdentityTheft.gov for steps if you gave your Social Security number.
- 6
Report it to the FTC
File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Report it
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Why you got it
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Frequently asked
Will USPS text me about a package?
Not out of the blue, per the FTC. USPS contacts you about a delivery only if you submitted a request and gave a tracking number, and it won't demand payment to redeliver a package.
I'm expecting a package. Could the text be real?
Possibly, so don't use the link. Look up the tracking on the site or account you ordered from.
I paid the fee. What now?
Contact your card issuer right away at the number on your card, tell them it was fraud and ask for a refund. Report it to the FTC.
How do I report a scam text?
Use your phone's report junk option, or forward the message to 7726 (SPAM). Then report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
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