Fake Delivery Text Scams in Tanzania
Fake parcel-delivery SMS messages trick Tanzanian recipients into paying customs or redelivery fees for packages that do not exist.
Part of: Fake Delivery Texts
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
As e-commerce grows in Tanzania, scammers have adopted fake delivery notification messages as a vehicle for fraud. Victims receive an SMS claiming a parcel is waiting at a depot or customs facility and that a small fee must be paid via M-Pesa to release or redeliver it. The parcel does not exist, and the fee disappears into the scammer's mobile wallet.
These messages are effective because many Tanzanians do receive genuine goods through international and domestic couriers, making a notification about an unexpected package plausible rather than immediately suspicious.
How this scam works on Tanzania
A text message arrives appearing to come from a known courier brand or a government customs office, often with a tracking number and a link to a convincing but fraudulent website. The message says a delivery was attempted and the recipient must pay a small redelivery or customs-clearance fee — typically between TSh 2,000 and TSh 20,000 — to retrieve the item.
The low fee amount reduces scepticism. When the victim clicks the link, they are taken to a phishing site that collects payment details or M-Pesa credentials. Some sites also harvest full mobile banking login details once the initial fee payment page is submitted.
More sophisticated versions use local courier brand names or reference the Tanzania Customs and Revenue Department to improve credibility.
Common red flags
- Unexpected delivery notification for a parcel you did not order
- Request to pay a fee via M-Pesa to an individual number rather than an official business account
- Link in the SMS leads to a website with a domain that does not match the courier's official site
- Urgency: fee must be paid within 24 hours or the parcel will be returned
- No actual shipment tracking information that can be verified on the courier's real website
- The SMS sender ID looks official but the phone number is a standard mobile number
How to protect yourself
- Go directly to the courier company's official website and enter the tracking number manually — never click links in SMS
- Verify any customs fee directly with the Tanzania Revenue Authority before paying
- Do not enter M-Pesa PIN or banking credentials on any website reached via an SMS link
- Contact the courier's customer service line from a number found independently, not from the SMS
- Delete and report suspicious delivery texts without clicking any links
How to report it
- Report phishing SMS to TCRA via the consumer portal
- Forward the message to your mobile operator's spam reporting service
- If financial details were compromised, contact your bank or M-Pesa provider immediately
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a delivery notification is real?
Type the tracking number directly into the courier's official website (found via a search engine, not the link in the SMS). If the number does not appear in their system, the message is almost certainly fraudulent.