Fake Mailbox Relocation Scam Impersonating the USPS Brand
Messages impersonating the USPS brand claim a resident's mailbox or mail delivery point must be 'relocated' or 'verified' for a fee, exploiting trust in USPS's role as the default mail carrier.
Part of: Fake Mailbox Relocation / USPS Update Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Because USPS is the default and expected mail carrier for most US addresses, impersonating its brand around a supposed mailbox relocation or delivery point change gives scammers an authoritative-sounding reason to request payment or personal information that a resident might not otherwise question.
How this scam works on the USPS brand
A text, email, or occasionally a physical-looking notice claims to be from USPS, stating that the recipient's mailbox or delivery point needs to be relocated, verified, or updated due to new mail routing requirements, construction, or a database update. The message asks for a small administrative or verification fee, or requests personal details like a full address, date of birth, or account information to 'confirm' the change. Because address and mail delivery changes are things people do occasionally deal with through USPS's real change-of-address system, the scam borrows enough surface plausibility to get some recipients to comply, especially if the message references a recent move or address-related activity. Once the fee is paid or details are shared, there is no real mailbox relocation process taking place — the goal is purely to capture payment card information or personal data for further misuse.
Common red flags
- Message claims mailbox relocation or verification requires an immediate fee
- Sender's link or email domain does not match usps.com
- Request for personal details unrelated to a standard address update, such as full Social Security number
- No official USPS mailbox relocation process typically requires payment initiated by a text or email link
- Urgent language claiming mail delivery will stop unless the fee is paid immediately
How to protect yourself
- Verify any mailbox or address-related notice directly with your local post office or through usps.com
- Never pay a fee through a text or email link claiming to be about mailbox relocation
- Check the sender's full email domain or phone number rather than trusting the USPS name alone
- Avoid sharing personal identification details in response to unsolicited mail-related messages
- Report the message to USPS's fraud reporting channel
How to report it
- Report the message to USPS's Postal Inspection Service via their phishing reporting page
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM)
- File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Contact your local post office directly to confirm there is no real issue with your delivery point
Frequently asked questions
Does USPS really charge a fee to relocate or verify a mailbox?
USPS does not typically initiate mailbox relocation requests through unsolicited text or email links demanding a fee, so any such message should be verified directly with your local post office before acting.
What if the message references a real recent move I made?
Scammers can sometimes guess or find publicly available address-change information, so a message referencing your move doesn't confirm it's genuinely from USPS — always verify independently.