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Parcel delivery text scams
Updated 9 November 2026
A text says a parcel couldn't be delivered and asks you to pay a small fee or confirm your address through a link. Real delivery companies almost never ask for payment by text. The link leads to a fake page that steals your card details.
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- Autopilot sends the request to every company we find, plus dozens of other data brokers that likely hold your data.
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How to spot it
- A link to a strange web address, not the courier's own site.
- A small fee, often under €3, to make it feel harmless.
- Pressure: "your parcel will be returned today".
- You weren't expecting a parcel from that courier.
What to do
- Don't click. Check the tracking code on the courier's own website or app.
- In the UK, forward scam texts to 7726. In the Netherlands, report them to the Fraudehelpdesk.
- Clicked and entered card details? Call your bank to block the card.
Why you get these texts
Many go to random numbers, but your number on sold or leaked lists means more of them. Removing it from data broker lists helps. You can check any suspicious message with our free scam check.
Questions
Do couriers ever ask for customs fees by text?
Sometimes customs fees are real, but you'll be able to pay them in the courier's official app or website, never only through a text link.
More numbers on data brokers, breaches and scams: privacy statistics 2026.