Fake DHL / Delivery Text Message Scam Examples
This scam text impersonates a courier like DHL, claiming a parcel is stuck because of an unpaid customs charge, redelivery fee, or incomplete address, and includes a link to "resolve" it. The scammer isn't trying to deliver anything — they're after your card number, expiry, CVV, and billing address on a lookalike payment page, plus enough personal detail to commit further fraud. The lever is the small, plausible amount: a tiny fee feels easier to pay than to question. The single most important step is not tapping the link — check tracking directly through the courier's real app or website instead.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
DHL: Your package is held due to unpaid customs of [amount]. Pay within 48h to avoid return: [fake link]
[Courier]: We attempted delivery but a [amount] redelivery fee is required. Reschedule: [fake link]
Your parcel [tracking number] is suspended. Update your address and pay [amount]: [fake link]
What the scammer wants
To make you enter card and personal details on a fake page, harvesting them for fraud, and to charge a small 'fee' that adds up across thousands of victims.
Red flags in the message
- A small fee demanded to release a parcel
- A link to a non-official courier domain
- Urgency and a short deadline
- Requests for full card details and personal information
A safe response
Do not click. Check any delivery directly in the courier's official app or website using the tracking number from your own order confirmation. Delete and report the text.
What not to send
- Card details
- Personal information
- Any 'fee' payment
What to do if you already replied
- If you entered card details, contact your bank immediately
- Watch for further phishing and unexpected charges
- Change passwords if you reused any on the fake site
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot the full message or call details
- Note the sender number, email, or profile
- Save any links (without clicking) and payment details
- Record dates and times
Frequently asked questions
I already clicked the link but didn't enter any details — am I safe?
Clicking alone usually doesn't compromise your card, but it confirms your number is active and may lead to more scam texts. Don't enter any information on the page, close it, and if it prompted a download, run a security scan and uninstall anything you installed.
I already entered my card details on the page — what should I do now?
Contact your bank or card issuer immediately using the number on the back of your card (not any number from the text) and ask them to block or reissue the card. Monitor your statements closely for a few weeks and report any unauthorised charges as fraud.
How did they get my phone number to send this?
Scam texts are usually sent in bulk to random or leaked phone number lists, not because they know you have a parcel coming — the message is timed to be plausible for almost anyone. It doesn't mean your specific accounts were breached.
Is it safe to reply STOP or reply at all?
With scam texts, replying STOP just confirms your number is real and monitored, which can lead to more messages. The safer option is to delete the text and report or block the sender through your phone's built-in spam-reporting feature.