Package delivery scam texts (USPS, UPS, FedEx)

"USPS: Your package has arrived at our warehouse but could not be delivered due to an incomplete address. Please update your details within 12 hours: usps-redelivery[.]com." Almost everyone is expecting a package at some point, which is exactly why this text works.

According to FTC data, fake package delivery problems were the most commonly reported type of text scam in 2024, and people reported losing $470 million to text scams of all kinds that year.

What the texts look like

The carrier name changes, but the story barely does (illustrative examples):

• The address problem: your package is "on hold" because the address is incomplete or the house number is missing.
• The small fee: a $1.99 or $3.00 "redelivery fee", "customs fee" or "unpaid postage" must be paid before delivery.
• The missed delivery: "We attempted to deliver your parcel today. Schedule a new delivery here."
• The final warning: the package will be returned to the sender or destroyed if you don't act within hours.

The link leads to a convincing copy of the carrier's website that asks for your name, address, phone number and card details. The "fee" is tiny so you don't think twice. The real goal is your card number, and sometimes your full identity.

What the real carriers say

• USPS: the U.S. Postal Inspection Service says USPS only sends tracking texts or emails if you've asked for them using a tracking number, and those messages will not contain a link. An unexpected USPS text with a link is a scam.
• FedEx: FedEx warns about texts from personal 10-digit phone numbers or generic email addresses claiming there's a problem with your shipment, and asks people to forward suspicious messages to [email protected].
• UPS: UPS advises not clicking links or opening attachments in a text you're unsure about, and has a fraud page on ups.com for reporting suspicious messages.

Red flags

• A delivery text you didn't sign up for, often with no tracking number at all.
• A link that isn't the carrier's real website. Look for extra words like "redelivery", "track" or "parcel", or odd endings.
• A sender that's an ordinary phone number, a foreign number, or an email address.
• A small fee to release a package. Carriers don't collect surprise fees by text.
• A short deadline, like "within 12 hours" or "today only".
• A request to reply "Y" and reopen the message so the link works. That's a trick to get around your phone's link blocking.

If you clicked or paid

• Entered card details: call your card issuer straight away. Cancel the card and dispute any charges.
• Only clicked the link: the Postal Inspection Service still suggests letting your bank or card company know, even if you didn't type anything in. Don't go back to the page.
• Gave personal details: if you entered your date of birth, Social Security number or driver's license number, visit IdentityTheft.gov and think about freezing your credit.
• Watch for the follow-up call: scammers with your card details may call pretending to be your bank's fraud team. Hang up and call the number on your card. See bank impersonation scams.

Our checklist on what to do if you've been scammed covers the rest.

Where to report package scam texts

• USPS scams: email [email protected]. Don't click the link. Copy the text of the message into a new email, and attach a screenshot showing the sender's number and the date. Mention whether you clicked, lost money or shared personal information.
• FedEx scams: forward to [email protected].
• UPS scams: report through the fraud page on ups.com.
• Any scam text: forward it to 7726 (SPAM) for your carrier, and report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you lost money, also file at ic3.gov.

Unsure about a text? Paste it into ShadyCall's free Scam Text Checker, which runs right in your browser. To cut down on these messages, see how to stop spam texts.