Overseas Customs Scam (Romance Variant)
A fraud in which the scammer claims a valuable package, gift, or inheritance is held at customs and requires fees to be released.
Also known as: customs fee scam, package held scam, import duty romance fraud
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
The overseas customs scam is a delivery variant commonly grafted onto romance fraud. The scammer — or a confederate posing as a courier company or customs official — informs the victim that a valuable package (jewellery, cash, a cheque, gold, business documents) addressed to them is held at a border agency and requires customs clearance fees, import duty, or administrative charges before release.
The package is fictional. The fees, paid in instalments as each 'hold' is resolved, go directly to the criminal. The story is designed to appeal to victims who have been promised a gift or financial benefit from their online contact, making the customs fee feel like a minor obstacle before something wonderful arrives.
Customs agencies do not contact recipients via unofficial emails or phone calls demanding immediate payment through gift cards or wire transfers. Any such contact should be verified directly with the official agency through publicly listed contact details.
Examples
- A victim is told a gold shipment from their online partner is detained at the port and a $600 customs bond must be paid before it can be forwarded.
- A supposed delivery company emails to say a parcel containing cash is held and requires import tax payment before same-day release.