Undelivered Package Fee Smishing Scam on SMS
Bulk text blasts claiming a package could not be delivered due to an unpaid fee direct recipients to phishing pages designed purely to harvest card data.
Part of: Undelivered Package Fee Smishing Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Couriers do send real delivery texts, and most parcel notifications people receive are genuine, which is exactly the camouflage this scam relies on. A generic 'delivery failed' message costs almost nothing to blast to enormous lists of phone numbers, and it only needs to reach the fraction of recipients who happen to be awaiting a real parcel that day. The link opens a courier-styled phishing page collecting a token fee, full card details, and sometimes a one-time passcode used immediately for a larger fraudulent transaction. The distinction that matters most: real couriers do not collect small redelivery fees through texted links, and a message that fits any courier and any shipment fits none.
How this scam works on SMS
A text message states that a package could not be delivered because of a small unpaid fee, redelivery charge, or address confirmation requirement, with a link to 'resolve' the issue. The link opens a phishing page styled like a courier's website, asking for a small payment plus full card details and sometimes a one-time passcode sent to the victim's phone, which the scammers use to complete a separate, larger fraudulent transaction in real time. Because the message never names a specific courier consistently — or impersonates whichever courier is most commonly used in the recipient's region — it can be mass-sent without needing to match any real shipment. Victims who don't have a package expected usually ignore it, but the scam is designed to succeed on volume, reaching enough people who are mid-way through an actual delivery to make the campaign profitable.
Common red flags
- Text about a 'failed delivery' or 'unpaid fee' from a number that isn't a recognized courier shortcode
- Link leads to a generic or misspelled domain rather than the courier's verified website
- Request for a one-time passcode or verification code sent to your phone as part of 'confirming' the fee
- No specific tracking number, or a tracking number that doesn't match any real shipment you're expecting
- Urgent language claiming the package will be returned or discarded within a short deadline
- Payment page requests card details for an unusually small, easy-to-approve amount
How to protect yourself
- Never click links in unsolicited delivery fee text messages
- Check delivery status only through the courier's official app or website using your own tracking number
- Never share a one-time passcode with anyone, including a website you were directed to by text
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) to help your carrier flag and block the sender
- If you entered card details, contact your bank immediately to freeze the card and monitor for fraud
How to report it
- Forward the smishing text to 7726 (SPAM)
- Report the message to the courier being impersonated through their official fraud reporting channel
- File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or your country's equivalent reporting body
- Report compromised card or account details to your bank immediately
Frequently asked questions
Why would a courier need a one-time passcode just to redeliver a package?
They wouldn't — legitimate redelivery or address confirmation does not require sharing a one-time passcode sent to your phone. That code is typically used to authorize account changes or transactions elsewhere, so sharing it hands scammers a way to bypass your own account security.
How can I tell if the text is about a real package I'm actually expecting?
Check the tracking number in the text against the tracking number you actually received in your order confirmation email — if they don't match, or if you have no pending order at all, the text is not genuine. Always verify by going directly to the courier's official app or website rather than the link in the message.
Is it safe to just ignore these texts if I'm not expecting a package?
Yes, the safest response is to not click the link, not reply, and simply delete or block the message, since the scam only works if you engage with it. Forwarding it to 7726 (SPAM) also helps your carrier identify and block similar messages for others.
Why do these texts ask for a one-time passcode?
Scammers use the passcode you receive to authorize a separate transaction or account change in real time, effectively using your own verification code against you — never share it, even on a page that looks legitimate.
How can I tell a real delivery fee notice from a fake one?
Legitimate couriers direct you to check and pay any fee through their own app or website using a tracking number you can verify yourself, not through a link in an unsolicited text.