USPS Impersonation Scams
Scammers send fake USPS delivery texts and emails to steal personal information and payment details. The real USPS will never ask you to pay a fee through a link in an unsolicited message.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
The United States Postal Service delivers to virtually every address in the US, which means almost anyone can receive a believable fake USPS message. Scammers have capitalised on this reach with a wave of smishing — SMS phishing — campaigns that spoof USPS branding.
These messages typically claim a package could not be delivered or is being held, and direct you to a fake USPS site to 'confirm your address' or pay a small redelivery fee. The real goal is to harvest your personal or payment information.
USPS is the victim of this impersonation. The Postal Inspection Service actively investigates these crimes and encourages reporting. Understanding the differences between genuine USPS notifications and fakes helps you respond correctly.
How scammers impersonate it
- Sending text messages with USPS branding claiming a parcel requires address confirmation
- Creating websites that closely mimic usps.com to harvest data
- Sending emails with official-looking USPS logos and formatting
- Including a fake tracking number to add legitimacy
- Claiming a small redelivery or customs fee must be paid urgently
- Using URLs containing 'usps' alongside other words to seem authentic
What the real organisation never does
- Send unsolicited texts asking you to click a link to confirm your address or pay a fee
- Request payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency
- Ask for your Social Security number to release a parcel
- Demand immediate payment to avoid parcel destruction
- Ask for your full card number or banking credentials through a text or email link
Common red flags
- Unsolicited text about a parcel you were not expecting
- A link in the text instead of a tracking number to check on usps.com
- Urgency — 'your package will be returned in 24 hours'
- The URL in the message is not exactly usps.com
- Request for personal details like your date of birth or Social Security number
- Request for payment of a small fee — often just a few dollars to seem credible
- No reference to a sender name or business that you can verify
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
Text: 'USPS: Your package [tracking number] cannot be delivered. Confirm your address at [fake link] within 24 hours.'
Email: 'Your shipment requires a redelivery fee of [amount]. Visit [fake link] to complete payment and reschedule.'
Text: 'USPS alert: customs hold on your item. Provide identification details at [fake link] to release.'
How to verify
- Type usps.com directly into your browser and use the official tracking tool
- Check whether you are genuinely expecting a USPS delivery before acting
- Call the USPS customer service number found on the official usps.com site
- If a fee is legitimately owed, USPS will typically leave a physical notice or communicate through established channels
- Report suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) and to the USPS Postal Inspection Service
What to do if you're targeted
- Do not click any links or provide personal information
- Report the message to the USPS Postal Inspection Service at postalinspectors.uspis.gov
- Forward the suspicious text to 7726 to report it to your carrier
- If you entered card details, contact your bank immediately
Frequently asked questions
Does USPS send text messages about deliveries?
USPS does offer an Informed Delivery service, but you must sign up for it first. Unsolicited texts asking you to click a link or pay a fee are not from USPS.
The text mentioned my city — is that suspicious?
Scammers can obtain basic location information from data brokers or match it to your phone number's area code. A local reference does not make the message genuine.
Who do I report a fake USPS text to?
Report it to the USPS Postal Inspection Service online, forward it to 7726 (SPAM), and submit it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.