Is a delivery text from USPS, DHL, or Royal Mail a scam?

Fake delivery texts — sometimes called 'smishing' — impersonate postal and courier services. They typically claim a package is held and requires a small fee or updated address to be released, then direct you to a convincing fake website that harvests your card details or installs malware.

Legitimate carriers do send delivery notifications, but they will not ask for card payments via an unsolicited text link for a package you aren't expecting. The fee demanded is usually small enough to seem plausible — this is intentional. Even entering your card details on the fake site to pay a trivial amount gives scammers your full card information.

These campaigns are sent in enormous bulk to generated number lists, which is why one can land on a day you genuinely are awaiting a parcel — the coincidence is statistical, not evidence the message is real. Harvested card details are typically used within hours or sold on, and some operations follow up with a call from your 'bank' that quotes the details you just entered to build credibility for a larger theft. If you paid a small 'fee' on such a site, treat the card as fully compromised: cancel it, and be sceptical of any follow-up caller who seems to know your details.