Noticing Unexpected Delivery Fee Requests
A text asking for an extra delivery fee catches attention when you’re waiting on a package. Legitimate carriers and postal services do not request payment through unsolicited text links. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has stated plainly that it will not text customers about a package problem unless that customer specifically signed up for tracking alerts on that shipment — so a fee-related text about a package you never registered for is, by itself, a strong signal something is wrong. An unexpected fee request is a particularly strong sign of a scam when you did not request a payment change or a specific redelivery option. Pause before tapping anything in the message and avoid clicking the link, replying, or calling any number in the text.
This is not a rare or isolated problem. The Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost roughly $470 million to text-based scams in 2024 alone, an increase of nearly $100 million over the previous year, and fake package-delivery texts were among the most common type reported. Because most scams go unreported, the real losses are likely higher. Instead of engaging with the message, go directly to the official tracking page using the tracking number from the retailer or carrier, not one copied from the text. The rush to resolve a delivery delay is exactly what scammers count on — the entire scheme depends on you acting faster than you’d normally verify something.
Checking the Sender Details and Message Wording
Scam texts often come from random phone numbers, international codes, or generic names like “Post” instead of the actual carrier name. Some scammers use SMS spoofing to disguise the sender ID so it looks more convincing at a glance, or register domains that closely resemble a real carrier’s site (for example, a misspelled variation of a well-known shipping company’s URL). The wording may show spelling errors, odd capitalization, or urgent phrases like “final attempt” or “action required within 24 hours.” These clues are easy to ignore when you’re expecting a parcel and just want tracking information.
Compare the sender info with a prior legitimate delivery notice you’ve received. Genuine updates usually show your actual tracking number, the carrier name, and a link to the official site — not a shortened or unfamiliar URL. A message lacking a tracking number, or one that includes a shortened link, makes any fee request suspicious on its own. Rushed wording combined with a vague or generic sender name is a strong combination that points to an unreliable source rather than a real delivery notice. If a tracking number is included, paste it into the carrier’s own website search rather than trusting the number displayed in the text, since scammers sometimes insert a fake or reused tracking number to appear more credible.
Verifying the Fee Type and Amount
Genuine delivery fees are typically charged at checkout or clearly explained before shipping. Common legitimate fees include customs duties, brokerage fees, or signature confirmation charges, and these are usually communicated through the retailer or the carrier’s official portal, not a text message. Scam texts often ask for a small, plausible-sounding amount — sometimes as little as one or two dollars — specifically because a tiny charge feels low-risk and people are less likely to question it before entering their card details. That small charge is rarely the actual goal; the payment page is typically designed to capture full card information, which can then be used for larger unauthorized charges later.
A fee that seems plausible, such as a customs charge for an international package, should still be confirmed independently through the carrier’s official website or app by entering the original tracking number yourself. Do not use any contact information, link, or phone number from the suspicious text. Legitimate customs or delivery fees will appear in the official tracking record before any payment is ever requested through a side channel like SMS.
Protecting Your Payment and Personal Information
Never enter credit card details, bank account numbers, or login credentials through a link in a delivery text message. Scammers use these fake payment pages to steal financial information and commit fraud, and even a small initial payment can lead to larger unauthorized charges or identity theft down the line, since the scammer now has working card details.
If you’ve already clicked a link or entered information, contact your bank or credit card provider immediately to report the incident and place a fraud alert or request a new card. Change the password for any account you may have accessed through the suspicious page, particularly if you reused that password elsewhere. You can also call your mobile carrier (often by dialing 611) and ask them to block suspicious text senders. Reporting the scam text to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov helps regulators track patterns, and if the message impersonated USPS specifically, forwarding it to 7726 or emailing a screenshot to spam@uspis.gov routes it directly to postal investigators.
FAQ
Question: What should I do if I already paid a fake delivery fee through a text link? Answer: Contact your bank or credit card provider immediately to dispute the charge and request a new card. Change passwords for any accounts you accessed through the link. Report the scam text to your mobile carrier and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Question: Can a legitimate delivery service ever ask for a fee by text message? Answer: Legitimate carriers and postal services do not request payment through unsolicited text links. Official fee notices, such as customs charges, appear in the tracking record on the carrier’s official website or app, not in a text message.
Question: How can I tell if a delivery text with a fee request is a scam? Answer: Check the sender number for random digits or generic names. Look for spelling errors, urgent wording, and missing or reused tracking numbers. Verify the fee by checking the official tracking page directly, not through a link in the message.
Question: Why would I get a delivery scam text if I haven’t ordered anything recently? Answer: These messages are usually sent in bulk to large batches of random phone numbers, not targeted at people who are actually expecting a package. Scammers rely on the fact that enough recipients will have a real delivery in transit somewhere, so the message feels plausible to at least some portion of the people who receive it. Getting one doesn’t mean your specific information was targeted — it’s usually just a numbers game.