Is a delivery text from USPS, DHL, or Royal Mail a scam?
Unsolicited delivery texts asking you to pay a fee or click a link to reschedule are very often phishing scams, even if they look official.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
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.
Common red flags
- You weren't expecting a delivery but receive a fee-request text
- Link goes to a domain that isn't the carrier's official website
- Small fee required ('customs charge', 'redelivery fee') via a text link
- Text asks for full card details including CVV
- No tracking number, or the number doesn't match the carrier's real system
- Urgency — 'your parcel will be returned in 24 hours'
What to do now
- Do not click the link or enter payment details
- Go directly to the carrier's official website and enter any tracking number manually
- Report the text to your mobile provider (forward to 7726 in the UK/US)
- If you already entered card details, contact your bank immediately
- Report to your national fraud service
Frequently asked questions
What if I am actually expecting a delivery?
Go to the carrier's official website directly — never via the link in the text. Enter your tracking number there. If the issue is genuine, it will show up on the official site.
How do scammers know I might be expecting a package?
They don't — they send these messages in bulk, knowing many recipients will be expecting something. The timing often feels coincidental.