Package delivery scam: is this delivery text real?
A package delivery scam sends a text about a held parcel and a small fee to release it. It poses as USPS, FedEx, or UPS. Here’s how to tell a real notice from a fake.
Also known as: USPS smishing scam, FedEx delivery text scam, fake redelivery fee scam, parcel tracking scam
How the package delivery scam works
- 1
A delivery text arrives
You get a message that a package is held or couldn’t be delivered.
- 2
A small fee is requested
It asks for a tiny “redelivery” or “customs” fee to release the parcel.
- 3
You reach a fake site
The link opens a look-alike carrier page asking for card details.
- 4
Your card is harvested
They capture your card and personal info to charge or resell it.
Red flags to watch for
- A delivery fee request by text for a small amount.
- A tracking link that isn’t the carrier’s real domain.
- A package notice when you aren’t expecting anything.
- Spelling errors or odd phrasing in the message.
- A sender number that looks random or foreign.
- Pressure to pay within hours or lose the package.
What to do if you’re targeted
- Don’t tap the link or pay any fee by text.
- Track packages only at the carrier’s official site or app.
- Carriers don’t charge redelivery fees by text link.
- Delete the message and block the number.
- If you entered card details, call your bank to freeze the card.
- Forward smishing texts to 7726 (SPAM) to report them.
How Oversight catches the package delivery scam
Screenshot the delivery text or run it through Quick Scan, which is free and on-device. Oversight checks the tracking link against the carrier’s real domain, flags look-alike pages and shortened links, and returns a clear Low, Caution, or High verdict. SMS scam filtering catches these texts from unknown senders before you tap. Oversight helps you pause; to track a real package, use the carrier’s official app, never a link in a text.
Oversight is an assistive tool, not a guarantee. For anything involving money or account access, confirm with the sender using a phone number or website you already trust — never the contact details in the message.
Package delivery scam: questions, answered
Is the USPS “package on hold” text a scam?
Almost always. USPS doesn’t request fees by text link. Don’t tap it; track any real package on usps.com directly.
I clicked a fake delivery link. What should I do?
If you entered card details, call your bank to freeze the card. Clearing the link alone is fine if you entered nothing.
Why do delivery scams ask for a small fee?
A tiny fee feels harmless, so people pay quickly. The real goal is capturing your card number on the fake payment page.
Not sure if it’s a scam? Get a verdict in 3 seconds.
Oversight is a free AI scam detector and scam checker for email, texts, DMs, and calls. Screenshot anything and know if it’s a scam before you tap or pay.