Is a Package Delivery Text Saying It Could Not Be Delivered a Scam?

A text pops up on your phone. “We could not deliver your package. Click here to reschedule.” Your first thought might be about the gift you ordered, or the parcel your daughter mentioned. That split second of worry is exactly what the scammer is counting on.

This guide explains how the fake delivery text works, how to tell it apart from a real one, and what to do if you already clicked or paid. It also covers what USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Royal Mail, Canada Post and Australia Post each say about these messages, and exactly where to report one in your country.

You will not need to click anything to follow along. Every step here can be done from your carrier’s own app or website, which is the safest way to check on a real delivery anyway.

Is a “package could not be delivered” text a scam?

Yes, almost always. If a text or email says your package could not be delivered and asks you to click a link to reschedule, confirm your address, or pay a small fee, treat it as a scam unless you can prove otherwise on the carrier’s own site.

The Federal Trade Commission found that fake package delivery alerts were “the most commonly reported type of text scam” in 2024, and that consumers reported losing $470 million to text scams that year, according to the FTC. That number only counts people who reported the scam, so the real total is almost certainly higher.

Why this scam works so well

The message is built to make you act before you think.

• It uses a real-sounding brand name (USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Amazon, Royal Mail, Canada Post, Australia Post).
• It creates urgency: “final notice,” “24 hours,” or “your package will be returned.”
• It asks for something small, like a $1 to $3 redelivery or customs fee, which feels too minor to worry about.
• The link opens a page that looks almost exactly like the real carrier’s site.

That last part is the trap. The fake page is not there to collect a small fee. It is there to collect your full card number, expiry date, security code and billing address, which the scammer can then use or sell.

How the scam actually plays out

1. You get a text or email claiming to be from a delivery company.
2. It says there is a problem: a missed delivery, an unpaid customs fee, or a bad address.
3. It includes a link that looks close to the real carrier’s web address, often with an extra word or a different ending, like “.info” or “.top” instead of “.com”.
4. The linked page asks you to “confirm” a small payment or your personal details to release the package.
5. If you pay, scammers often quietly charge much larger amounts afterward, or sell your card details to other criminals.
6. If you enter personal details without paying, those details can be used for identity theft.

This pattern is nearly identical to another common text scam, the fake unpaid toll notice. If that one sounds familiar, see our related guide on the unpaid toll text scam, and try the toll text scenario in our interactive scam simulators to practice spotting the warning signs in a safe setting. The same urgency trick shows up in fake calls about government benefits too, covered in our guide to Social Security and IRS scam calls.

Real tracking texts vs. scam texts: what is different

How to check a suspicious delivery text safely

1. Do not tap any link in the text or email.
2. Note which carrier it claims to be from.
3. Open a new browser tab or the carrier’s official app, the one you downloaded from your phone’s app store, not a link from the text.
4. Type in your own tracking number, if you have one from an actual online order confirmation.
5. If the carrier’s own site shows no problem, the text was fake. Delete it.
6. If you are still unsure, call the carrier using the phone number printed on a past real receipt or their official website, never a number given in the suspicious text.

Red flags that a delivery text is fake

• It arrives when you are not expecting any package.
• It uses generic wording like “Dear Customer” instead of your name.
• It creates pressure with words like “final notice” or “action required within 24 hours.”
• The web address does not exactly match the carrier’s real site (watch for extra words, misspellings, or unusual endings).
• It asks for payment by card to “release” or “reschedule” a package.
• It asks you to confirm your full address, date of birth, or ID number.
• The message has spelling mistakes or odd punctuation.
• A callback number in the text does not match the number on the carrier’s official website.

What to do if you already clicked the link

Take a breath. Clicking a link by itself usually does not steal anything, it is entering information on the page that causes harm.

• If you did not type anything in: close the browser tab. You do not need to do anything else, though it is wise to run a security scan if your device offers one.
• If you entered card details: call your bank or card issuer right away using the number on the back of your card, explain what happened, and ask them to watch for or block unauthorized charges.
• If you entered personal details like your address or date of birth: keep an eye on your mail and accounts for anything unfamiliar in the following weeks. If you shared enough details that you are worried about identity theft, our guide on how to freeze your credit after a scam walks through that step.
• If you already paid a “delivery fee”: treat it the same as a card compromise and contact your bank immediately.

For the full step by step, see our guide on what to do after clicking a scam link. It is also worth reviewing common scam payment red flags so you recognize pressure tactics before you pay anything, in this scam or any other.

How to report a fake delivery text, by country

United States

• Forward the text to 7726 (spells “SPAM” on most keypads) to report it to your mobile carrier.
• If it claims to be from USPS, email a copy with the sender’s number and the date to [email protected], according to the USPS Inspection Service.
• Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

United Kingdom

• Forward suspicious Royal Mail texts or emails to [email protected], as Royal Mail advises.
• Forward spam texts to 7726.
• If you lost money or personal data, report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.

Canada

• Forward the text to 7726 to help block the sender.
• Report the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
• Canada Post advises checking your delivery status directly on its site rather than reporting fake texts to Canada Post itself.

Australia

• Report the scam through Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.
• If personal identification details were exposed, contact IDCARE.
• Check any delivery notice directly through the Australia Post app or auspost.com.au rather than the link in the text.

Helping a parent spot these texts

Helping an older parent sort real delivery notices from scam ones is easier when the phone itself is set up well. If you are the one supporting a parent’s devices remotely, our guide on how to set up a phone for an elderly parent covers useful settings, and our piece on helping a parent with their phone remotely walks through checking a suspicious text together over a call.

Where to go from here

Package delivery texts are just one of the scams built around urgency and a small, easy-to-miss payment. Our book, Scam Proof, walks through this scam and many others like it in the same plain, step by step style as this article, so you have a reference on hand the next time a suspicious text shows up. You can also get our Scam-Stopper Kit (free when you join our email letter) at /kit/ for a printable checklist to keep by the phone.