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Parcel text scam examples
Five texts that pretend to be about a delivery, with the red flags marked, and a free card to keep by the phone.
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We could not deliver your parcel today. Pay a $1.99 redelivery fee within 12 hours or it will be returned: parcel-redeliver.example/9X2k
Five texts,
five red flags
The web addresses here are made up and can't be opened.
We could not deliver your parcel today. Pay a $1.99 redelivery fee within 12 hours or it will be returned: parcel-redeliver.example/9X2k
1. The redelivery fee
- A fee for a parcel you can't match to an order.
- A short deadline to rush you.
- A web address that isn't the courier's own.
- No order number, no sender name, no item.
Your package is on hold because the house number is incomplete. Update your address here: track-update.example/addr
2. The address problem
- It doesn't say what the package is or who it's from.
- The link leads to a form asking for your address and card details.
- You were never asked for an address update by the shop you ordered from.
A customs charge of $3.40 is due on your package. Pay now to release it: customs-clear.example/pay
3. The customs charge
- A small amount, so it feels easy to just pay.
- It asks for card details on a page you reached from a text.
- A real order from a shop shows its charges at checkout.
Delivery attempt failed. Choose another date: rebook-parcel.example/s7 Reply Y to activate this link.
4. The reply-to-activate trick
- It asks you to reply so the link becomes tappable.
- It contacts you from a number you don't recognise.
- It has no tracking number to look up.
Order #48213 has shipped. If this wasn't you, cancel here: order-cancel.example/48213
5. The order you never placed
- You didn't order anything, and the message hopes you'll panic.
- The "cancel" link is where your login or card details are collected.
- A real shop would let you check the order inside its own app or site.
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The rule
Never pay a fee from a text link. Look up the parcel yourself.
What to do
- Don't tap the link and don't reply, even to say stop.
- Check your own orders. Is there one that matches the sender, the item and the amount?
- Open the courier's or shop's own app, or type their web address yourself, and look up your parcel there.
- Delete the text and block the number.
- If you paid or typed in card details: contact your bank right away, say you paid a scammer and ask for a refund.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Internet crime can also be reported to the FBI at ic3.gov.
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