Home > Scam Library > Package Delivery Text Scam
Phone & Text
Package Delivery Text Scam
A text message claiming to be from a delivery company may ask you to click a link to reschedule a package or pay a small fee — but it may actually be designed to steal your personal or payment information.
What Is a Package Delivery Text Scam?
Scammers send text messages pretending to be from shipping companies like USPS, FedEx, or UPS. These messages often claim that a package is delayed, undeliverable, or needs a small fee to be released.
The text usually includes a link. Clicking it takes you to a fake website that looks similar to a real delivery company's page, but it is designed to collect your personal or payment information.
Because so many of us order packages regularly, these messages can seem believable at first glance. Knowing what to look for makes it much easier to spot them.
What Might It Look Like?
Example — Not a Real Message
USPS: Your package could not be delivered due to an incomplete address. Please confirm your details here: [link] to avoid return to sender.
Learn the Signs
Watch for these common signs in delivery text scams.
Unexpected Text
You receive a delivery notice for a package you did not order or are not expecting.
Urgent Link
The message pressures you to click a link right away to avoid a problem.
Payment Request
You are asked to pay a small "redelivery" or "customs" fee through the link.
Personal Information Request
The linked page asks for your name, address, or card details.
Odd Web Address
The link leads to a website address that does not match the carrier's real site.
Generic Greeting
The text does not use your name or any real order details.
What Should You Do?
1. Don't click the link.Delete the text or leave it unread.
2. Check tracking directly.Use the carrier's official app or website by typing the address yourself.
3. Contact the carrier directly.Use a phone number or website you already know is real.
4. Never pay through a text link.Legitimate carriers do not collect "redelivery" or "customs" fees this way.
5. Report the text.Use your phone's built-in tool to report it as junk or spam.
Legitimate delivery carriers rarely, if ever, ask for payment through a text message link.
Why This Scam Works
These texts combine urgency, the worry that a package problem needs immediate attention, with curiosity about what the package could be. That combination can cause anyone to click without pausing to verify.
Recognizing this pattern helps you slow down, pause, and check things directly before responding.
Related Scams
These scams use similar tricks with text messages.
Fake Toll Text Scam
A text claims you owe an unpaid toll and pressures you to pay through a link.
Wrong-Number Text Scam
A friendly "wrong number" text tries to start a conversation that leads to a scam.
Grandparent Emergency Scam
A caller or texter pretends to be a grandchild in urgent trouble needing money fast.
Trusted Sources
This information is based on guidance from trusted consumer-protection organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission and the US Postal Inspection Service. Visit our Resources page to learn more and find official links.
Last reviewed: September 2026