FedEx Impersonation Scams
Fraudsters impersonate FedEx with fake delivery alerts and fee demands designed to harvest payment or personal details. Real FedEx never asks for surprise fees via unsolicited links.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
FedEx ships millions of parcels every day, making its brand instantly recognisable and widely trusted. Scammers exploit that familiarity by sending messages that mimic FedEx tracking alerts, missed-delivery notices, and customs hold warnings.
The typical scam involves an email or text telling you a shipment is awaiting delivery but requires a small fee — paid through a link that leads to a fake site collecting your financial information. In some versions, victims receive calls from people posing as FedEx agents requesting personal details to 'clear' a package.
FedEx is the victim of this impersonation, not the perpetrator. Knowing the difference between a genuine FedEx notification and a fake one keeps your details safe.
How scammers impersonate it
- Sending emails with convincing FedEx branding asking you to 'schedule delivery' via a link
- Sending texts claiming a parcel requires payment of a customs or redelivery fee
- Registering domains that closely resemble fedex.com with slight misspellings
- Using FedEx logos, colour schemes, and standard wording to look official
- Spoofing FedEx email addresses in message headers
- Calling and claiming to be FedEx customer service to confirm your address or identity
What the real organisation never does
- Ask you to pay a fee via a link in an unsolicited text or email to release a shipment
- Request your card number, CVV, or bank details over the phone or through a message
- Ask for payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency
- Ask you to install software to track a package
- Threaten legal consequences if you do not pay immediately
Common red flags
- Unexpected text or email about a parcel you were not anticipating
- A payment link rather than a tracking number you can enter on fedex.com
- Urgency — 'your package will be returned within 48 hours'
- Sender domain does not match fedex.com exactly
- Poor grammar or formatting inconsistent with professional courier communications
- Request for an unusually small fee — often just enough to seem plausible
- No option to verify through the official FedEx app or website without clicking the link
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
Email: 'Your FedEx shipment [tracking number] requires a customs clearance fee of [amount]. Complete payment at [fake link].'
Text: 'FedEx: Failed delivery attempt. Reschedule at [fake link] or your parcel will be returned.'
Call: 'Hi, this is FedEx — we have a package for you but need to confirm your home address and date of birth to proceed.'
How to verify
- Go directly to fedex.com and use the official tracking tool — do not follow links in messages
- Check your own records: are you actually expecting a FedEx delivery?
- Contact FedEx through the number listed on their official website if you have concerns
- Do not pay any fee through a link; genuine customs duties are handled through official channels at collection or through the FedEx site
What to do if you're targeted
- Do not pay or click any links in the suspicious message
- Report the message to your national cyber fraud service and to FedEx directly via their website
- If you entered payment details, contact your bank immediately
- Delete the message after reporting it
Frequently asked questions
FedEx sent me an email with a real-looking tracking number — is it safe?
Scammers can include plausible tracking numbers. Always verify by typing the number directly into fedex.com rather than using any link in the email.
I already clicked the link. What now?
If you only clicked without entering details, run a security scan on your device. If you entered card or personal information, contact your bank immediately and report the incident to your fraud reporting service.
Does FedEx know about these scams?
Yes. FedEx has a dedicated abuse reporting process and maintains a fraud awareness page. Reporting fake emails to [email protected] helps them take down fraudulent sites.