Americans lost over $470 million to package delivery scam texts in recent years, and the problem is only growing. Criminals impersonate USPS, UPS, FedEx, and Amazon to trick you into clicking phishing links that steal your personal and financial information. Here's how to recognize these scams and protect yourself.
How Package Delivery Scams Work
Package delivery scams — a form of "smishing" (SMS phishing) — follow a predictable pattern:
- You receive a text or email claiming there's an issue with a package delivery — a missed delivery, a fee that needs to be paid, or a package that needs to be rescheduled
- The message includes a link that looks like it goes to a legitimate carrier website
- The fake website asks for personal information — your name, address, credit card number, or login credentials
- Criminals use that information to steal your money, open accounts in your name, or sell your data on the dark web
Common Types of Package Delivery Scams
Fake Delivery Notification Texts
The most common variant: you receive a text saying "Your package could not be delivered" or "Delivery attempted — reschedule now." The message includes a link to a convincing fake website that asks for personal or payment information.
Fake Delivery Fee Scams
You receive a message claiming you owe a small fee (usually $1-$5) to release your package from customs or complete delivery. The small amount makes it feel low-risk, but the real goal is capturing your credit card number.
Fake Tracking Number Emails
An email arrives with a tracking number and a link to "track your package." The link leads to a malware download or a phishing page that harvests your login credentials.
Porch Pirate Follow-Up Scams
After a legitimate package theft, scammers contact you pretending to be the retailer or carrier, offering to reship your package if you "verify" your payment information.
Red Flags to Watch For
Urgent language like "immediate action required" or "your package will be returned." Links that don't match the carrier's official domain. Requests for payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer. Messages about packages you never ordered. Poor grammar or spelling errors.
How to Identify Fake Messages
Knowing the real policies of major carriers helps you spot fakes instantly:
USPS
- USPS never sends unsolicited text messages — you only receive texts if you specifically signed up for tracking updates
- USPS texts never include clickable links, even to the official USPS website
- USPS will never ask for payment via text message
UPS
- UPS tracking texts come from short codes or "UPS" — not random phone numbers
- Legitimate UPS links always point to ups.com
- UPS will never ask for your Social Security number or financial information via text
FedEx
- FedEx sends tracking notifications only if you opt in
- All legitimate FedEx links point to fedex.com
- FedEx will never request personal information via text or email
Amazon
- Check your Amazon account directly for delivery status — don't click links in messages
- Amazon delivery notifications come from @amazon.com email addresses
- Amazon will never ask for payment information via text
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What to Do If You Receive a Suspicious Message
- Don't click the link — this is the most important step
- Don't reply to the message, even to say "STOP"
- Verify independently — go directly to the carrier's website or app and enter any tracking number you're expecting
- Block the number that sent the message
- Report the scam:
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM)
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Forward USPS-related scams to spam@uspis.gov
Already Clicked the Link?
If you already clicked a phishing link or entered information, act immediately: change passwords for any accounts you logged into, contact your bank if you entered payment information, run a security scan on your device, freeze your credit if you shared your Social Security number, and monitor your accounts for unauthorized activity.
How to Protect Yourself Proactively
- Sign up for official tracking — use USPS Informed Delivery, UPS My Choice, and FedEx Delivery Manager to get legitimate notifications directly from carriers
- Use unique passwords for each carrier account and enable two-factor authentication
- Keep your phone number private — the less your phone number is exposed online, the fewer scam texts you'll receive
- Remove your information from data brokers — scammers often obtain phone numbers and personal details from people-search sites
- Use a spam filter — enable your phone's built-in spam filtering for text messages
- Be extra cautious during holidays — scams spike dramatically during peak shipping seasons like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas
Why Data Brokers Fuel These Scams
Package delivery scams require one key ingredient: your phone number. Scammers purchase phone numbers in bulk from data brokers, or scrape them from people-search sites that list your name, address, and phone number publicly. The more your personal data is exposed online, the more scam messages you'll receive.
PrivacyOn removes your personal information — including your phone number — from over 100 data broker and people-search sites. By cutting off the supply of your data at the source, you'll receive fewer scam texts and be harder for criminals to target. Combined with dark web monitoring that alerts you when your data appears in breach databases, PrivacyOn provides a comprehensive shield against the kind of personal data exposure that makes scams like these possible.