Fake 'Package Undeliverable' Email Script
Phishing emails impersonating couriers or postal services claim a package could not be delivered and ask you to confirm your address or pay a redelivery fee via a link that harvests card details.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
[Courier]: We were unable to deliver your package [tracking number]. Reschedule your delivery and pay [amount] redelivery fee: [fake link]
Your parcel is being held at our depot. Confirm your address within 48h to avoid return to sender: [fake link]
Important: a package addressed to you requires customs clearance of [amount]. Pay now to release: [fake link]
[Postal service]: Delivery attempted for package [tracking number]. Update your delivery preferences: [fake link]
Final notice: your item will be returned unless you pay the [amount] storage fee by [date]: [fake link]
What the scammer wants
To use a believable delivery scenario to make you enter card and address details on a fake page, either for fraud or to charge a small fee at scale across thousands of recipients.
Red flags in the message
- Email about a parcel you do not recognise ordering
- Redelivery or customs fee required via a link in the email
- Link leads to a domain that is not the official carrier's website
- Tracking number returns no results on the real carrier's site
- Tight deadline to confirm or the parcel is returned
- Page requests full card details to pay a minor fee
- Sender email address does not match the courier's real domain
- No reference to which order or sender the parcel is from
A safe response
Do not click. Check your orders and any expected deliveries directly in the carrier's official app or website using the tracking number from your original order confirmation. Real carriers do not request card details via email links for routine redelivery.
What not to send
- Card or bank details via any link in a delivery email
- Personal address details on an unverified page
- Any redelivery or customs fee via an email link
What to do if you already replied
- If you entered card details, contact your bank immediately to cancel the card
- Monitor your account for unauthorised charges
- Change any passwords reused on the fake page
- Report the phishing email to the real courier and your national cybercrime body
- Check for other accounts linked to the email address provided
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