Few scams are as effective as the fake delivery notice, for one simple reason: almost everyone is expecting a parcel. A text or email claims your package is held over an unpaid fee or a missing detail, with a link to “sort it out.” The link goes to a convincing copy of a courier’s site that harvests your card and personal details.
Why it works so well
It’s plausible (you probably are awaiting a delivery), the amount is tiny (a “£1.99 redelivery fee” lowers your guard), and it’s urgent (your parcel will be returned). Delivered by text, it sidesteps email filters entirely and lands on your phone, where the small screen hides the fake URL.
The red flags
- An unexpected fee for redelivery or “customs” — couriers collect these differently, not by random text link.
- A link to a look-alike domain rather than the courier’s real site.
- Urgency — “final notice,” “returns today.”
- A tracking number you don’t recognise, or no order that matches.
What to do
Don’t tap the link. Go directly to the courier’s official app or website and check your tracking there. If you’ve already entered card details, contact your bank immediately. Report the text so the number and link get blocked faster.
Catch the fake courier page
If you do tap a link, SafeToOpen checks the page in real time and blocks the cloned delivery site before you enter anything.
Get protected free →The takeaway
When a delivery message asks for money or details, ignore the link and check the courier’s real app instead. The genuine courier already knows where your parcel is — they don’t need you to confirm it through a random text.