USPS delivery problem texts: the link is the scam
A text saying a USPS package could not be delivered, that a small redelivery fee is due, or that an address detail must be confirmed through a link, is a phishing text. It goes out to millions of numbers whether or not any package exists. The link leads to a lookalike postal site built to collect card details and personal information for a 'fee' of a dollar or two, which is then used for real charges or identity theft.
What to do
- Do not open the link, and do not reply. Even a reply tells the sender the number is active.
- Remember how USPS actually works: USPS does not send unsolicited texts about delivery problems, and it never charges a redelivery fee by text link.
- If you are expecting a package, track it by typing the official USPS address into your browser yourself and entering the tracking number from your receipt or seller.
- Delete the text and report it as junk if your phone offers the option, and forward it to 7726 (SPAM) if your carrier supports it.
- Curious about a fee? A real delivery issue leaves a paper notice or shows in official tracking, never a surprise text demanding card details.
Signs it is fake
- The sender is a random number or email address, sometimes international, not an official postal short code.
- The link address is scrambled or close-but-wrong, with postal wording buried in a long unrelated domain.
- It creates a deadline, warning the package will be returned within hours.
- It asks for card details for a tiny fee. The small amount is the point, it feels safe, and the card is then used elsewhere.
Entered card details on the fake site? Call your card issuer immediately using the number on the card, report the details as compromised, and ask for a replacement card. Watch statements closely for small test charges. If you also entered personal details like a Social Security number or date of birth, place a free credit freeze with the credit bureaus and report the incident at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Common questions
I really am waiting for a package. Could it still be fake? Yes, and this is why the scam works, at any given moment many recipients are expecting something. Expectation changes nothing: check the real tracking page by typing the address yourself, and let that be the only source you trust.
Does USPS ever send texts? USPS offers tracking texts, but only for tracking numbers you sign up for yourself, and those messages never include links asking for payment or personal details.
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