Can a delivery courier ask me to enter or sign my debit card details on a device to confirm delivery?
No. Couriers confirm delivery through package signatures, photo evidence, or app confirmations — not by collecting card details. Any delivery requiring card data entry at the door is fraudulent.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Standard parcel delivery confirmation requires your signature on a device, a photo of the delivered package, or a unique collection code. None of these steps involve your card details. If payment is required on delivery — for cash-on-delivery orders, customs duties, or similar — this is arranged through the retailer or courier's official system, not collected manually by a driver at the door.
Fraudulent door-to-door payment collection attempts exploit the fleeting interaction with a courier. The fake courier presents a device that appears to be a payment terminal but is harvesting card details or processing an unauthorised charge. Real delivery drivers use devices provided and managed by their employer and cannot accept arbitrary payments.
If a driver at your door claims a payment is due for a parcel and you were not expecting any such charge, ask for written documentation, decline to pay at the door, and contact the retailer and courier through official channels to verify whether any charge is legitimate before paying through the official system.
Be especially cautious if you did not order anything, if the charge amount is not what you expected, or if the payment terminal does not look like an official courier device.
Common red flags
- Courier asks you to enter card details into a handheld device at the door
- Payment is demanded for a parcel you were not expecting
- Amount differs from any expected delivery charge
- Device looks informal or has no visible official branding
- Courier cannot provide official documentation for the charge
- Driver becomes aggressive or pressures immediate payment
What to do now
- Decline to enter card details and do not accept the parcel under these conditions
- Ask for written documentation of any delivery charge
- Contact the retailer or courier through official channels to verify the charge
- Report the incident to the courier company's fraud or security team
- Report to your local police and consumer protection authority
- If you entered card details, contact your bank immediately to block the card
Frequently asked questions
What are legitimate reasons for paying at the door on delivery?
Cash-on-delivery orders are arranged at purchase time and documented in your order confirmation. Customs duties may be collected in some countries, with official paperwork. None of these require you to enter card details into an unverified handheld device.
How do I report a suspicious delivery driver?
Note the vehicle registration, courier company branding, and any identifying details. Report to the courier company using the number on their official website, and to the police if you believe a crime was attempted.