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UPS Impersonation Scams

Scammers send fake UPS delivery texts and emails to steal personal and payment details. The real UPS will never ask you to pay a surprise customs or redelivery fee via a link in an unsolicited text.

Last reviewed: 1 June 2026

UPS is one of the largest parcel delivery companies in the world, making it an obvious target for impersonation. A text or email claiming to be from UPS about a delivery problem feels routine and believable, which is exactly why scammers use it so heavily in smishing (SMS phishing) campaigns.

The typical message claims a package could not be delivered or is being held for a small customs or redelivery fee, with a link to a convincing fake UPS site that harvests card details. Some victims also receive calls from people posing as UPS customer service asking for personal information to 'release' a shipment.

UPS is the victim of this impersonation. Recognising the tell-tale signs helps you respond correctly whether or not you are actually expecting a UPS delivery.

How scammers impersonate it

  • Sending texts or emails with UPS branding claiming a parcel is held pending a small fee payment
  • Creating fake UPS websites with convincing logos and tracking-style interfaces
  • Spoofing UPS email addresses or using domains with minor misspellings
  • Calling victims and claiming to be UPS customer service to confirm personal details
  • Including a plausible-looking tracking number to add credibility
  • Sending fake 'missed delivery' notices with a QR code linking to a phishing site

What the real organisation never does

  • Send an unsolicited text asking you to pay customs or redelivery fees via a link
  • Ask for your full card number, CVV, or banking password to release a parcel
  • Threaten to destroy or return your parcel unless you pay immediately through a link
  • Ask you to install software to track your shipment
  • Request payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency

Common red flags

  • Unexpected message about a parcel you were not expecting
  • A link in a text rather than a reference number to check on the official site
  • Urgency — 'your parcel will be returned in 24 hours'
  • Request to pay a small customs or redelivery fee via a website link
  • Poor grammar, inconsistent branding, or a domain that is not ups.com
  • QR code in a text or email that leads to an unfamiliar website

Sanitized example messages

Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].

Text: 'UPS: Your parcel [tracking number] is on hold. Pay a customs fee of [amount] at [fake link] within 24 hours or it will be returned.'
Email: 'We attempted delivery on [date]. Reschedule at [fake link] and confirm your address.'
Call: 'This is UPS customer service — we need to verify your details before releasing your shipment.'

How to verify

  1. Go directly to ups.com and enter your tracking number there — never via a link in a message
  2. Check whether you are actually expecting a UPS delivery before acting on any notification
  3. Look up the official UPS customer service number from ups.com and call that if in doubt
  4. Hover over (or long-press) any link to check the actual URL before clicking
  5. If a fee is genuinely owed, UPS will typically advise you to pay through official channels at the depot or on their verified site

What to do if you're targeted

  1. Do not click any links or pay any fee through an unsolicited message
  2. Report the phishing message to your national fraud or cybercrime reporting service
  3. If you already entered card details, contact your bank immediately to block the card
  4. Forward suspicious UPS-branded emails to [email protected] if available in your region

Frequently asked questions

The text had my real tracking number — does that make it genuine?

Not necessarily. Scammers sometimes obtain tracking numbers from data breaches or use plausible-looking numbers regardless of whether they are valid. Always verify directly on ups.com, not through the link in the message.

I paid a small fee through a link — what should I do?

Contact your bank or card provider straight away and explain you may have entered your details on a fraudulent site. Ask them to monitor or block the card, and report the incident to your national fraud reporting service.

Focused guides for UPS impersonation

1 guides on specific scams as they appear via UPS.

Sources