Fake Courier Insurance Claim Scam Impersonating the UPS Brand
Scammers impersonate the UPS brand to contact people about a supposed shipment insurance claim, using the promise of a payout to extract fees or banking details.
Part of: Fake Courier Insurance Claim Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Because UPS handles high volumes of shipping insurance claims for real lost or damaged packages, impersonating its brand around an insurance claim gives scammers a plausible reason to contact people who may genuinely have had a delivery issue in the past.
How this scam works on the UPS brand
A message or call claims to be from UPS regarding an insurance claim for a lost, damaged, or delayed shipment, informing the recipient that a payout is pending. To 'process' or 'release' the claim payment, the recipient is asked to pay a small processing or administrative fee, or to provide full banking details for a 'direct deposit' that never arrives. Some versions reference a real past shipment (gathered from data leaks or social engineering) to add credibility, making the recipient believe the claim is tied to an actual incident. Once a fee is paid or banking details are shared, the scammers either disappear or use the banking information for further fraud, while no real UPS insurance claim ever existed in their system.
Common red flags
- Contact claims to be UPS insurance department but does not match UPS's verified customer service channels
- Request for a processing or release fee before an insurance payout can be issued
- Request for full banking details to 'deposit' a claim payout rather than using UPS's standard claim process
- Reference to a shipment or claim number that cannot be verified on UPS's official website
- Urgency to act quickly or the claim will supposedly expire
How to protect yourself
- Verify any insurance claim directly through UPS's official website or customer service line
- Never pay a fee to 'release' an insurance payout — legitimate claims do not require this
- Avoid providing full banking details to anyone contacting you unsolicited about a claim
- Check any referenced tracking or claim number independently on UPS's real system
- Report the contact attempt to UPS's fraud reporting channel
How to report it
- Report the impersonation to UPS's official fraud or phishing reporting page
- File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov describing the fake claim contact
- Report compromised banking details to your bank immediately
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) if the contact came by SMS
Frequently asked questions
Does UPS ever charge a fee to release an insurance claim payout?
No — legitimate shipping insurance claims through UPS do not require the claimant to pay a fee before receiving a payout, so any such request is a clear sign of fraud.
How can I check if a UPS insurance claim is real?
Contact UPS directly through its official website or verified customer service number and ask them to look up the claim using the shipment or claim number you were given.