Fake Delivery Texts in Greece
Smishing campaigns impersonating ΕΛΤΑ and DHL steal card details from Greek online shoppers with fake parcel customs-fee demands.
Part of: Fake Delivery Texts
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Fake delivery smishing has become one of the most reported consumer cybercrimes in Greece, with the Cybercrime Division of the Hellenic Police issuing regular public warnings about campaigns impersonating ΕΛΤΑ (Hellenic Post), ACS Courier, DHL and Speedex. The campaigns target the growing base of Greek online shoppers, particularly those ordering from international marketplaces.
Greece's reliance on international parcel delivery — given limited domestic e-commerce infrastructure relative to Northern Europe — means customs-related fee demands are especially plausible to Greek recipients, who may genuinely expect to pay customs charges on international orders.
How this scam works on Greece
An SMS reads: 'Το δέμα σας από ΕΛΤΑ δεν μπόρεσε να παραδοθεί. Πληρώστε €2,50 τέλη για παράδοση via...' with a link to a spoofed ΕΛΤΑ portal. Card details entered on the site are harvested for immediate large-scale fraudulent use.
In a variant targeting Greek businesses, a DHL invoice for customs clearance ('τελωνειακή εκτελωνισμός') on an import shipment arrives by email, with a payment link to a fraudulent portal. The invoice looks legitimate, with a consignment reference number.
Android users may be prompted to install a fake 'ΕΛΤΑ tracking' app that installs a banking trojan capable of intercepting OTPs from Greek banks including National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank and Piraeus Bank.
Common red flags
- SMS about an ΕΛΤΑ or DHL parcel requiring payment via a link
- Link does not exactly match elta.gr or dhl.gr
- Customs fee requested via SMS link — ΕΛΤΑ collects duties at the door or at a branch
- Prompt to install a courier tracking app from a link in the SMS
- Business email invoice for customs clearance with an external payment link
How to protect yourself
- Track parcels through the official ΕΛΤΑ app or by typing elta.gr directly
- ΕΛΤΑ never requests customs fees via SMS links — duties are paid at delivery or at a post office
- Never install apps from SMS links
- Report suspicious SMS to the Cybercrime Division and your mobile operator
- If card details were entered, contact your bank immediately
How to report it
- Hellenic Police Cybercrime Division: cybercrimeunit.gr — smishing report
- ΕΛΤΑ fraud team: elta.gr — report misuse of ΕΛΤΑ branding
- Your bank fraud team: call the number on your card immediately
Frequently asked questions
How does ΕΛΤΑ handle customs fees on international parcels in Greece?
ΕΛΤΑ collects customs duties and VAT at the time of delivery or at the post office counter. It does not send SMS links requesting pre-payment via external card-processing sites.