Fake Delivery Texts in Mongolia
Fake parcel-delivery SMS scams target Mongolian online shoppers with links to phishing pages that harvest payment card and personal data.
Part of: Fake Delivery Texts
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Mongolia's e-commerce sector has grown rapidly, particularly in Ulaanbaatar, driven by platforms serving the densely populated capital. This growth in online shopping has been accompanied by fake delivery text scams, where victims receive SMS messages purportedly from courier services such as MonCourier, NSD, or international carriers like DHL or FedEx, claiming a parcel is held pending a small fee or address confirmation.
The links in these messages lead to convincing phishing pages that harvest credit card numbers, personal identification data, and sometimes banking credentials. The scams are often localised with Mongolian-language text and domestic courier branding.
How this scam works on Mongolia
An SMS arrives claiming that a parcel addressed to the victim is held at a sorting facility pending a customs fee, a small delivery charge, or an address update. The message includes a link that closely mimics a legitimate courier website. On the fake page, the victim is asked to enter their card details to pay the nominal fee.
The card details are harvested and used for fraudulent transactions, or sold to other criminals. In some variants, the link installs malware on the victim's device rather than presenting a payment form. The SMS is sent to thousands of numbers in bulk, with no specific knowledge of who has recently ordered anything — the hit rate is high because most people have ordered something online recently.
DHL and FedEx impersonations are common for international packages, while domestic courier names are used for local deliveries.
Common red flags
- An unexpected SMS claims a parcel is held pending payment — especially if you have not recently ordered anything.
- The link in the SMS does not match the official domain of the courier service.
- The fee requested is small (under a few thousand MNT) — designed to seem trivial and not worth questioning.
- The website asks for full card details rather than redirecting to a secure payment provider.
- The SMS comes from an unusual phone number format inconsistent with a known courier.
How to protect yourself
- Never click links in unsolicited delivery SMS messages.
- Track parcels directly by visiting the courier's official website and entering your tracking number manually.
- If a payment is genuinely required for a customs fee, the courier will contact you through official channels.
- Check your bank statement promptly after any online payment and dispute unfamiliar transactions.
- Consider using a virtual card with a limited balance for online purchases.
How to report it
- Report phishing SMS to the Mongolian Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC).
- Notify your bank or card issuer immediately if card details were entered on a suspicious page.
- Report the SMS sender to your mobile carrier for spam blocking.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a delivery fee request is real?
Go directly to the courier's official website by typing the address into your browser — do not use any link from the SMS. Real customs or delivery fees are confirmed through official courier channels, not random text messages.