I'm told my new benefits payment card is stuck in customs and I need to pay a fee to release it - is this real?

This scam claims that a replacement or new benefits payment card is being held at a customs checkpoint or delivery depot, and that a release, handling, or customs fee must be paid before it can be delivered. It borrows the format of well-known parcel delivery scams and applies it to a benefits context, exploiting the fact that people are genuinely waiting for a physical card to arrive and may not question the story closely if it seems to explain a delay they're already experiencing.

Domestic government benefit cards are issued and mailed within the country by the agency or its card provider and never pass through international customs, since there is no international shipment involved in a routine domestic card replacement. Any message referencing customs fees for a benefits card, regardless of how it's delivered - text, email, or phone call - can be dismissed as fraudulent on this basis alone.

If you're waiting on a genuine replacement card and are concerned about a delay, contact the agency directly using their official number or online account to check the actual delivery status, rather than paying any fee referenced in an unsolicited message.