What are my rights if I was scammed by a fake parcel or courier message?
Fake parcel notifications that trick you into entering card details or paying a fake redelivery fee are phishing fraud — if you entered financial details, contact your bank immediately; if you paid a fee, card chargeback may apply.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Fake parcel scams send text messages or emails impersonating Royal Mail, DPD, FedEx, or other courier services, claiming a parcel is awaiting collection and requiring a small redelivery fee or customs charge. The fee itself is small but the real goal is often capturing card details for larger subsequent fraud.
If you entered your card details on a fake site, contact your bank or card issuer immediately to have the card stopped and a replacement issued. Your bank may also want to monitor your account for subsequent unauthorised transactions. This is an urgent action — do not wait.
If you paid the fake fee and only that fee was taken, initiate a chargeback for the fraudulent payment. Report the fraudulent site to Action Fraud and to the genuine courier company being impersonated, who may take down the site or issue warnings.
Report the original message to 7726 (SPAM) on your mobile to help your network identify and block the sender. This is general information — the specific steps depend on what you entered and whether any subsequent unauthorised transactions have occurred.
Common red flags
- The message arrived unexpectedly and you are not expecting a delivery
- The link in the message does not go to the genuine courier's official website
- You are asked to pay a customs or redelivery fee you have never paid before for a delivery
- The message contains spelling errors or an unofficial-looking sender address
- You are asked to enter full card details including the CVV for a small fee
What to do now
- If you entered card details, call your bank's fraud line immediately to report and cancel the card
- If you paid a fee, initiate a chargeback with your card provider
- Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) on your mobile
- Report to Action Fraud with the link and message content
- Report to the genuine courier company being impersonated
- Monitor your accounts for any subsequent unauthorised transactions
Frequently asked questions
Do real couriers ever ask for payment by text message?
Legitimate couriers very rarely request additional payments by text message. Any unexpected text claiming a fee is needed to release a parcel should be treated with extreme suspicion. Check your delivery status directly on the genuine courier's official website using a bookmark or search, never a link in the message.
I only gave my name and address — am I at risk?
Name and address alone are a lower risk than financial details, but can still be used in data aggregation or for further targeted phishing. Monitor for follow-up communications and be alert to any subsequent requests using your name that appear very personalised.