The Fake Delivery Text: How a £2 Fee Can Empty Your Account
The fake delivery text is still the most common scam reaching UK households, and it's one of the easiest to fall for because it plays on something completely normal — waiting for a parcel.
How it works
You get a text saying your parcel is held and you owe a small redelivery fee, usually a pound or two. That small amount is deliberate. It feels harmless, so people tap the link without pausing. The link opens a page that looks exactly like a well known courier or Post Office site. You enter your card details and pay the fee. The scammers then take whatever they can, and they keep the card details for later purchases. Some versions also ask you to log in first, which hands over your email password as well.
How to spot one
Three checks are usually enough. Were you actually expecting a parcel? Check the full sender number or email address, not just the name on the message. And remember that no genuine courier asks for a redelivery fee through a link in a text.
If you're genuinely waiting on something, open the courier's app or type their web address yourself. If a parcel is really held, it will show there.
If you've already tapped the link
Call your bank straight away and say the card was used on a scam site. They can stop the card. If you entered an email password, change it now, and change it anywhere else you reuse it.
Report the text by forwarding it to 7726 — that spells SPAM on a keypad. It's free and it helps your network block the number for everyone.
The one thing to remember
Never pay a delivery fee through a link in a text. Go to the courier directly. Two minutes of typing beats a drained account.
Related reading