Is a text message with a parcel locker PIN code I didn't expect a scam?
It could be. Unsolicited parcel locker codes are sometimes sent by scammers to manipulate you into visiting a location or revealing personal details.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
Parcel locker phishing is a growing tactic. Scammers send fake PIN codes by SMS or email to trick you into clicking a link, calling a number, or handing over personal information under the pretence of 'claiming your parcel'. Genuine parcel locker codes arrive only after you have placed an order with a retailer that uses locker delivery. If you receive a code for a parcel you know nothing about, treat it as suspicious. The message may ask you to confirm your address, pay a small redelivery fee, or log in to a spoofed carrier website. Each of those steps is a data-collection trap. Real carriers such as Amazon Locker, InPost, or DHL ServicePoint do not ask for payment to collect a parcel once a code has been sent. If you are genuinely expecting something, log in directly to the retailer or carrier website using a bookmark — never follow a link in the message.
A second variant is worth knowing about because it looks like the opposite of fraud: a code for a locker or delivery you never ordered can be part of a brushing or account-abuse scheme, in which sellers ship cheap unsolicited items to real addresses to generate 'verified purchase' reviews, or a criminal uses your address for a purchase they intend to intercept. In the interception version, a follow-up message or knock on the door asks you to hand over the parcel or forward the code because it was 'sent by mistake'. Handing over collection codes lets someone else collect goods bought with stolen payment details — with your address in the middle of the record.
Keep the handling simple: unexpected codes get ignored, never forwarded, and requests to pass a code or parcel to a stranger get declined. Check your own retailer accounts for orders you did not place — an unexplained delivery sometimes signals a compromised account with a saved card. If everything checks out clean, delete the message; a genuine sender who made a real mistake resolves it through the carrier, not through you.
Common red flags
- PIN code for a parcel you did not order
- Link in the same message asking you to log in or pay
- Sender is an unknown number or generic address
- Message asks you to confirm personal or card details
- Urgency — code 'expires in 24 hours'
What to do now
- Do not click any link in the message
- Log in directly to the retailer site to check your orders
- If no order matches, delete the message
- Report it to your national spam-reporting service
Frequently asked questions
Could someone have sent me a parcel as a gift?
Yes, but a genuine sender would tell you. If in doubt, contact the retailer named in the message — using a number you find yourself, not one in the text.
Someone asked me to forward the code because the parcel was 'sent by mistake' — should I?
No. Forwarding a collection code lets a stranger collect goods that may have been bought with stolen payment details, with your address in the audit trail. Genuine mis-deliveries are resolved through the carrier, never through you.
A parcel I never ordered actually arrived — what does that mean?
Possibly a brushing scheme using your address for fake reviews, or a sign your retailer account was used by someone else. Check your accounts for orders you did not place and change passwords if anything looks wrong.