How Can I Tell If a Package Tracking Text Message Is a Scam?

Treat any unexpected package text that asks you to click a link, pay a fee, or confirm your address as a scam until you prove it is real. The fastest test is simple. Do not use the link. Go to the store where you ordered, or type your tracking number into the carrier’s own website, and see what it says. If the real tracking page shows nothing wrong, the text was fake.

A package tracking text message scam works because most of us are waiting on something. This guide shows what these texts say, the red flags that give them away, what a real notice looks like, and what to do if you already clicked.

Why Are Fake Package Texts So Common?

Scammers go where the odds are good. In 2024, Americans received a huge number of parcels. A report on the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index says U.S. parcel volume rose to 22.4 billion shipments in 2024. With that many boxes moving, a random person is very likely to be expecting a package on any given day. A fake text only has to reach the right person at the right time.

The numbers back this up. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported in April 2025 that consumers lost $470 million to scams that started with a text message in 2024. The FTC also says that “the most commonly reported type of text scam was fake package delivery.” That means this is not a rare trick. It is the top text scam people report.

What Do These Fake Delivery Texts Say?

The messages change, but the story stays the same. The FTC describes the common versions in its holiday phishing alert. The text may say you missed a delivery. It may say your item cannot be delivered until you update your street address or zip code. It may warn that the package will go back to the sender if you do not respond right away.

Another common version claims you owe a small fee. In an FTC alert about fake USPS texts, the agency says messages may mention unpaid postage or a package that is out for delivery. The link leads to a site that looks real but is fake. The small fee is often just a way to get your card number.

What Are the Red Flags of a Package Scam Text?

Most fake texts share a few traits. If you see more than one, stop and do not click. Here is a short checklist.

• You did not order anything. If you are not waiting on a package, the text has no reason to exist.
• It asks for money. The FTC says legitimate carriers will not ask you to pay for an address fix by text or email, and FedEx lists an urgent request for money in return for delivery as a warning sign.
• It asks for personal details. FedEx states that it does not request account credentials or identity details through an unsolicited text.
• It creates a rush. Threats to return the package soon are meant to make you act before you think.
• The link looks off. FedEx warns about misspelled sites, such as fedx.com or fed-ex.com.
• The greeting is generic. The FTC notes that real companies often use your name, while scammers use vague greetings.

One red flag by itself may not prove anything. Still, a missing tracking number you recognize plus a link and a fee is a strong sign of a scam.

What Does a Real Delivery Text Look Like?

Real tracking texts exist, so the goal is not to fear every message. The key difference is that you asked for them. USPS explains this on its smishing warning page: “USPS will not send customers text messages or e-mails without a customer first requesting the service with a tracking number, and it will NOT contain a link.” USPS says it uses 5 digit short codes for texts you start yourself.

FedEx gives similar advice on its fraud page. It says FedEx “does not request, via unsolicited mail, email, or text, any personal information pertaining to your account credentials or identity.” So if you signed up for text alerts with a tracking number, a short update is normal. If a text arrives out of the blue with a link, it is not.

Retailers also send real shipping updates. If you ordered from a store and gave your phone number, a text with an order number you recognize can be fine. Even then, open the store’s app or type the website yourself instead of tapping the link.

How Do You Check a Delivery Text Safely?

The safe check takes about a minute. The FTC says, “If you think the message might be legitimate, contact the shipping company using a phone number or website you know is real.” It also says to go to the site where you bought the item and look up the shipping status there.

Here is a realistic example. Sam gets a text that says his USPS package has unpaid postage of $1.99 and asks him to tap a link. Sam has not ordered anything this week. He leaves the text alone and opens his order history in the apps for the stores he uses. Nothing is waiting. He then forwards the text to 7726, a number used to report spam texts, and deletes it. Total time was two minutes, and he lost nothing.

Now picture a second case. Priya ordered a lamp, and a text arrives with a tracking number. She does not tap the link. She types the number into the carrier’s website by hand and sees a real, normal status. The text may have been real, and she still used the safe route. If a brand new number shows nothing, our guide on why a tracking number does not work yet explains why that happens.

What About Customs Fees and Odd Tracking Details?

Some fees are real. If you order from another country, a carrier may ask you to pay duties or taxes. A scam text copies this idea, so be careful. Do not pay through a text link. Look up the shipment on the carrier’s site and see whether a real fee is listed. Our article on why you may be asked to pay customs fees explains when a fee is normal.

A tracking number that shows the wrong item can also be a clue. Our guide on why a tracking number shows a different package covers how a real mix up differs from a scam. When in doubt, the carrier’s own page is the final word.

What Should You Do If You Already Clicked?

Do not panic, but act quickly. USPS says that “if you have already interacted with the URL provided (even if you did not click ‘submit’), please notify your financial institution.” Call the number on the back of your card and ask them to watch the account.

The FTC page on what to do if you were scammed gives clear steps. If you paid with a credit card, report it to the card issuer right away and ask for a refund. If you gave away a password, create a new strong one and turn on two factor authentication. If you gave your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan. If you let someone onto your computer, update your security software, run a scan, and change your passwords.

Where Can You Report a Fake Delivery Text?

Reporting helps carriers and phone companies block the sender. You have several options, and you can use more than one.

• Forward it to 7726. The FTC says you can report unwanted texts by forwarding them to 7726.
• Email USPS. For a fake USPS text, send the message text and a screenshot to spam@uspis.gov, without clicking any links.
• Email FedEx. Forward fake FedEx messages to abuse@fedex.com.
• Tell the FTC. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

After you report the text, delete it. You can also turn on the spam text filter in your phone, which the FTC suggests as a simple way to cut down on these messages.

How Can You Make These Scams Harder to Fall For?

A few habits protect you every time. Keep a list of what you ordered and from where, so a surprise text stands out. Check the status from the store’s app or the carrier’s own tracking page, not from a text link. Give a second look to any message about a package at busy times, such as the holidays, when the FTC puts out yearly warnings about fake shipping messages. Our guide on why packages take longer during the holiday season explains why delays are normal then, which makes a fake delay notice easier to believe.

If a delivery really did fail, there is a safe path. Open your carrier account, or ask the seller, and let them tell you what is wrong. Real problems show up in the real tracking page, not only in a text.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if a package tracking text is real?

Check whether you asked for it. USPS says it will not text you unless you first requested the service with a tracking number, and its texts will not contain a link. Look up your tracking number on the carrier website or in the store app instead of tapping any link.

Will USPS ever send me a text with a link?

USPS says a text it sends will not contain a link, and it only texts customers who first requested updates with a tracking number. A text with a link that claims to be from USPS is a red flag.

What should I do if I clicked a fake tracking link?

Call your bank or card issuer right away, even if you did not submit anything. Change any passwords you entered, turn on two factor authentication, and report the text at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Why does a scam text ask me to pay a small fee?

The small fee is a way to get your card number and other details. The FTC says legitimate carriers will not ask you to pay for an address fix by text or email, and FedEx lists an urgent request for money in return for delivery as a warning sign.

Where do I report a fake delivery text?

Forward the message to 7726, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, send fake USPS texts to spam@uspis.gov, and send fake FedEx messages to abuse@fedex.com.

If you log packages for other people, such as in a mailroom, apartment complex, or business receiving area, TekCore’s package logging software can help you keep a clear record of every delivery.