Fake Delivery Text Scams in Peru
Fraudulent SMS and WhatsApp messages impersonating Olva Courier, DHL Peru, or Mercado Libre deliveries trick Peruvians into phishing pages collecting card details.
Part of: Fake Delivery Texts
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
With Peru's booming e-commerce sector, delivery notification scams are well-adapted to the local environment. Fraudulent texts impersonate Olva Courier, DHL, FedEx, or Mercado Libre notifications, claiming a parcel cannot be delivered and directing the recipient to a phishing link to reschedule or pay a minimal customs fee.
The timing of these messages frequently coincides with high-shopping periods — Cyber Days, Navidad, and Buen Fin — when Peruvians are actively expecting deliveries, increasing click-through rates on the fraudulent links.
How this scam works on Peru
An SMS or WhatsApp message from an unknown number, formatted identically to genuine carrier messages, informs the recipient of a held parcel. A short URL directs to a near-perfect replica of the carrier's website, asking for a Yape payment of S/. 5–25 or full payment card details to 'process customs clearance.'
Once card details are entered, the attacker uses them for card-not-present fraud, making purchases or transfers before the victim realises what has happened. Some variants harvest personal information (DNI, address, mother's maiden name) useful for subsequent identity theft or SIM swap attacks.
Scam messages often use grammatically correct Spanish but include subtle URL inconsistencies (e.g. 'olva-courier-peru.com' instead of the genuine 'olvacourier.com').
Common red flags
- SMS or WhatsApp from an unknown number about an unexpected delivery issue
- Link URL differs slightly from the genuine carrier domain
- Request to pay a customs or re-delivery fee via Yape to a personal number
- Page asks for full card number, expiry date, and CVV for a small fee
- Message creates urgency: parcel returned if not actioned within 24 hours
- WhatsApp message from a number not saved in your contacts claiming to be a courier
How to protect yourself
- Track orders only through the official Mercado Libre or retailer app, never via SMS links
- Navigate directly to the carrier website by typing the URL rather than clicking SMS links
- Never enter payment card details on a page reached from an SMS link
- Enable transaction notifications on your bank card for real-time alerts
- Forward suspicious SMS messages to 1818 (OSIPTEL spam reporting line)
- Verify your order status on the retailer app before taking any action on a delivery message
How to report it
- Report phishing SMS to OSIPTEL at osiptel.gob.pe or call 1818
- Report to DIDAT if financial information was compromised
- Contact your bank immediately to freeze any card you entered on a suspicious page
Frequently asked questions
Does Olva Courier or DHL ever request payment via WhatsApp?
No. Legitimate couriers process delivery issues through their official apps or websites. Any WhatsApp or SMS message requesting payment for delivery is a scam regardless of how convincing it appears.