Fake Royal Mail Parcel Protection or Redirection Subscription Renewal Scam
Criminals send renewal notices impersonating Royal Mail, claiming that a Royal Mail Parcel Protection or address-redirection subscription is about to auto-renew at an inflated price and that the recipient must log in to cancel it. Royal Mail's genuine redirection service is one-off or fixed-term, not an auto-renewing subscription billed through a text link.
Part of: Fake Subscription Renewal Phishing
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
Royal Mail does offer a paid address-redirection service for customers who have moved home, and some recipients opt for additional parcel-collection notifications. Fraudsters craft convincing renewal notices claiming these services are about to renew at a significantly higher price than the victim originally paid, playing on consumer sensitivity to unexpected recurring charges.
The 'cancel subscription' or 'manage your plan' link leads to a spoofed Royal Mail login page that harvests account credentials. In some variants, the fake page claims a partial refund is available for the 'overpayment', prompting victims to enter card details to receive money back.
Royal Mail's official redirection service is managed at royalmail.com/track-my-post/redirection. It does not auto-renew silently, and any genuine renewal notice would be sent to the email address registered on the account — it would direct the customer to log in directly at royalmail.com, not to an external link.
How this scam works on the Royal Mail brand
The email says: 'Royal Mail: Your Parcel Protection Plan renews in 3 days at £89.99. If you did not authorise this, cancel your subscription: [link].' The link opens a Royal Mail-styled login page. Entering credentials either steals the account or redirects to a fake card-detail collection form for a 'partial refund'.
Some campaigns reference a fictional 'Royal Mail Safe Delivery Guarantee' product that sounds vaguely plausible but does not exist. Others use accurate knowledge of the recipient's postcode or recent delivery history to make the subscription claim feel genuine.
After credentials are entered, a second page suggests the subscription has been cancelled and offers a £15 'goodwill refund' for the inconvenience — harvesting card details in the process.
Common red flags
- Email claiming a Royal Mail subscription is about to auto-renew at an amount you do not recognise
- Renewal amount is significantly higher than any real Royal Mail service price
- Link does not go to royalmail.com
- Service name (e.g. 'Parcel Protection Plan') cannot be found on royalmail.com
- Email sender is not @royalmail.com
- Offer of a refund requiring card details after cancellation
- No corresponding subscription in your genuine Royal Mail account
How to protect yourself
- Log in directly to royalmail.com to check your active services and account
- If you do not have a Royal Mail account, any subscription renewal email is fraudulent
- Never enter credentials or card details via a link in an unsolicited renewal email
- Contact Royal Mail customer services at royalmail.com/help to verify any service
- Report the phishing email to [email protected]
- Report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk
- If card details were entered, contact your bank's fraud team
How to report it
- Email [email protected] with a screenshot
- Report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040
- Report to the NCSC at [email protected]
- Forward any smishing texts to 7726
- Contact your bank if financial details were submitted
Frequently asked questions
Does Royal Mail have an auto-renewing subscription that could generate an unexpected renewal notice?
Royal Mail's redirection service is a fixed-term product renewed manually. It does not silently auto-renew and charge at a higher price. Any email claiming a Royal Mail subscription is about to auto-renew unexpectedly is almost certainly a phishing attempt.
What genuine paid services does Royal Mail offer?
Royal Mail's main paid services include address redirection (managed at royalmail.com/track-my-post/redirection), PO Box rental, and business-account services. None of these involve a 'Parcel Protection Plan' or similar consumer subscription billed via a text link.
I received a refund offer after clicking the link. Is it legitimate?
No. Fake refund offers on phishing pages are a secondary credential-capture technique. The 'refund' requires you to enter card details, which are then stolen. Do not provide any payment information.