Can a courier company send me a customs PIN by text and ask me to share it to release a parcel?
No. Customs PINs or release codes sent by a courier and then requested back are a form of OTP phishing — the code is designed to give someone else access to your account or payment, not to release a parcel.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Genuine parcel release procedures never involve a code being sent to you and then collected by phone. If a parcel genuinely requires customs clearance, you receive official documentation from the national customs authority, and you make any required payment through official portals. The process is between you and the customs agency — not mediated by a stranger calling you.
The 'customs PIN' script is a variant of OTP fraud. A fraudster who has your details initiates some kind of account action — creating a fraudulent account, attempting a transaction, or triggering a verification — that causes a genuine code to be sent to your phone. They then call posing as a courier, claim the code was sent to release your parcel, and ask you to read it back.
Sharing the code hands the fraudster access to whatever the code was protecting — an account, a payment, or a service registration. It does not release any parcel.
Real courier companies direct you to their official tracking portal to manage any delivery issues. They do not call and ask you to read back codes you have just received.
Common red flags
- Unexpected text with a code followed by a call asking you to read it back
- Caller claims the code is needed to release a parcel
- You are not expecting a parcel
- Caller creates urgency claiming the parcel will be returned if you delay
- The tracking number provided does not appear on the courier's official website
- Caller asks for additional personal or payment information alongside the code
What to do now
- Never read back a code to an unsolicited caller
- If you did share the code, contact the relevant service provider immediately
- Check what account or service the code may have been for
- Report the call to the courier company being impersonated
- Report to your national cybersecurity authority
- Monitor your accounts for any unauthorised activity
Frequently asked questions
What is a genuine parcel customs clearance process?
If a parcel is held at customs, you receive a formal notice from the customs authority citing the parcel's tracking number, the goods, and any duties assessed. Payment is made through the official customs portal or to the courier's verified account — never by reading a code.
I read the code back — what might have been compromised?
The code could have verified a new account registration, reset a password, or authorised a payment in your name. Check for any accounts created with your phone number and any unexpected transactions across your financial accounts.