Scam Alert
A parcel delivery text can look perfectly ordinary. It may mention a missed delivery, a small redelivery fee, a postcode problem, or a parcel that needs confirming before it can be released. If you are expecting something, it is easy to assume the message is genuine and deal with it quickly.
That is exactly why these scams work. Criminals copy the names of trusted delivery firms and rely on people being busy, distracted, or simply wanting to get on with their day.
The short version: if a parcel text asks you to tap a link, pay a fee, confirm personal details, or install anything, stop and check through the courier’s official website or app instead.
Why parcel delivery texts catch people out
Ofcom says scam texts pretending to be from courier or delivery companies are very common. They often claim a parcel is waiting or that a delivery fee is due. The goal is usually to push you onto a fake website that steals card details or personal information, or in some cases tries to get harmful software onto your device.
The message may arrive at a believable moment. You may genuinely be waiting for a parcel from Royal Mail, Evri, DHL, DPD, or another courier. That timing does not prove the text is real.
Important: being genuinely due a parcel does not make a delivery text safe. It only makes the scam more convincing.
Common signs a delivery text may be fake
- It asks for a small payment to release, redeliver, or reschedule a parcel.
- It says there is an urgent problem with your address, customs fee, or missed delivery.
- It pushes you to act quickly with phrases such as “final notice”, “today only”, or “parcel will be returned”.
- The link looks odd or does not clearly match the courier’s official website.
- The message came from a normal mobile number or a name that looks slightly wrong.
- It asks for more information than a simple tracking update should need, such as full card details, passwords, or one-time passcodes.
Scammers are getting better at making messages look tidy and familiar. Sometimes the only suspicious part is what they want you to do next.
What official courier guidance says
The National Cyber Security Centre says that if a missed-parcel message looks suspicious, you should not click the link and should track parcels through the delivery company’s official website instead.
Royal Mail’s scam guidance says suspicious texts can be reported to reportascam@royalmail.com with a screenshot, and that suspicious spam texts should also be forwarded to 7726.
Evri’s current security guidance says its SMS messages only come from Evri, not from a normal mobile number. It also says its text messages will never ask you to reschedule a delivery or make a payment by text.
Useful habit: if the message says there is a problem, do not solve it from the text. Open the courier’s real website or app yourself and check there.
How to check a parcel text safely
- Do not use the link in the message.
- Open your browser yourself and type the courier’s official web address, or use its official app.
- Track the parcel from there using details you already have from a retailer or order confirmation.
- Check whether the same issue appears on the real tracking page.
- If nothing matches, treat the text as suspicious.
The NCSC specifically recommends using official courier websites such as Royal Mail and Evri for tracking instead of links from a suspicious message.
If the text asks for a payment
This is one of the most common versions of the scam. The amount is often small enough to feel harmless, which makes people less likely to stop and question it.
Before paying anything, ask:
- Did I order something that should be arriving now?
- Have I already seen delivery updates through the shop or courier app?
- Am I being asked to pay through a text link instead of the normal route?
- Does the page ask for card details in a way that feels rushed or unfamiliar?
If a payment page has opened from a text message, treat it with caution. Our guide on how to check if a website is safe before entering bank or card details explains the warning signs in plain English.
What to do if you already clicked the link
Clicking does not always mean the worst has happened, but it is a good reason to stop and check calmly.
- Close the page straight away if it looks odd or starts asking for personal details.
- Do not enter card details, passwords, or security codes.
- Do not download an app or file if the page prompts you to.
- Run normal software updates on your phone if you are worried.
- Check the parcel through the official courier website or app instead.
If you also tapped buttons or entered any details, follow our step-by-step guide on what to do after tapping a suspicious link on your phone.
Do not install anything from a parcel text. The NCSC warns that some missed-parcel messages try to trick people into installing malicious apps.
What to do if you already paid or gave details
Act quickly, but use trusted routes.
- Contact your bank or card provider immediately using the official app or the number on the back of your card.
- Explain that you may have entered card details on a fake parcel delivery page.
- Change any password you entered, but do it from the real website or app, not from the link in the text.
- Watch for follow-up scam calls or texts. Criminals sometimes come back pretending to help with the first scam.
- Check account activity for anything you do not recognise.
If anyone later asks for a code sent to your phone, stop immediately. Our guide on what to do if someone asks for the one-time passcode just sent to your phone covers that next-stage scam.
How to report the text in the UK
Reporting suspicious messages helps phone networks and organisations block more scams.
- Forward the suspicious text to 7726, the free spam-reporting service used by UK phone providers.
- If the text pretends to be Royal Mail, send a screenshot to reportascam@royalmail.com.
- If you lost money or entered sensitive details, report it through Report Fraud in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, or via Police Scotland in Scotland.
Once the message has been reported, the NCSC advises that you can delete it.
Simple rules that make these texts easier to spot
- Never trust a delivery payment link just because the amount is small.
- Track parcels from the courier’s official website or app, not from a text.
- Pause if a message arrives unexpectedly, even when you are waiting for a parcel.
- Be cautious with messages that create urgency.
- Ask a family member or trusted helper if you feel unsure or rushed.
A calm way to think about parcel texts
A real parcel does not require you to take risks. If a message is genuine, the same information should still be visible when you check through the courier’s normal website or app. If the issue disappears when you check the official route, the text was never worth trusting.
Scammers depend on people reacting inside the message. A safer routine is to step outside it.
When patient support can help
Scam texts are designed to feel plausible, and they often arrive at the exact moment somebody is expecting a parcel, waiting for an order, or helping a relative with shopping online. That is why calm one-to-one support can make such a difference.
Simply Tech Support helps independent clients and families check suspicious texts, make safer decisions online, feel more confident with phones and tablets, and sort out the next steps if a bad link was opened by mistake. You can read more on the Simply Tech Support services page.
