Is an email about a package waiting at customs requiring me to pay fees real?
Genuine customs charges are possible but are communicated officially. Email links requesting card details for customs fees are almost always phishing.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Real customs fees and VAT on international shipments do exist and can be required before release. However, genuine customs notices arrive from your national customs authority (HMRC, CBSA, US Customs) or from your carrier's official customs portal — and they provide a verifiable reference number you can check on an official website. Phishing emails mimic customs notices with urgent language, carrier logos, and a payment link to a fake portal that captures your card details. If you have genuinely ordered something from abroad and a customs fee seems plausible, navigate directly to your carrier's official website using a reference number from your real order — never follow a link in an email.
Common red flags
- Email link goes to a site that is not your carrier's or customs authority's official domain
- No order reference or tracking number that matches a real purchase
- Fee amount seems disproportionately high or low
- Urgency — package returned if fee not paid within hours
What to do now
- Do not click the link — navigate to your carrier's official site directly
- Use a tracking number from your actual order to check for genuine customs holds
- If you entered card details, contact your bank immediately
- Report phishing customs emails to your national cyber authority
Frequently asked questions
How will I know if a customs fee is genuinely owed?
Your carrier will notify you through their official tracking page with a specific reference and the amount owed. You pay through the carrier's portal or at a local customs office — not via an email link.