Is This Royal Mail Text a Scam? Spot Fake Delivery Texts Before You Pay

Fake Royal Mail texts are the single most common scam message in the UK. Criminals send millions of them every year because almost everyone is expecting a parcel at some point — and the texts create just enough panic to make you click.

Here's how to spot a fake Royal Mail text, what genuine ones look like, and what to do if you already clicked or paid.

What fake Royal Mail texts say

The most common lines:

  • "Your parcel is being held at the depot" — with a link to "pay a redelivery fee" of £1.99–£2.99
  • "Your package is undeliverable" — asking you to confirm your address via a link
  • "Customs charges due" — claiming you owe import fees before release
  • "Delivery failed — schedule redelivery" — link to a fake Royal Mail lookalike page

The scam works in two stages: the link goes to a fake Royal Mail website that steals your card details, then uses those details for larger fraudulent purchases.

The 5 red flags

  1. A link in the text. Royal Mail text messages (from 61063 or CUSTOMER) tell you to track via royalmail.com — they don't send you to random shortened links.
  2. It asks for payment. Royal Mail does not charge "redelivery fees" by text. Genuine redelivery is free or booked via their site.
  3. Urgency and deadlines. "Your parcel will be returned in 24 hours" is designed to stop you thinking.
  4. The link isn't royalmail.com. Look for lookalikes like royalmail-delivery.top, rm-track.net, parcel-redelivery.co.uk.
  5. It asks for card details or a one-time code. Royal Mail never asks for your card number, PIN, or verification code by text.

Real example (verbatim from a reported Royal Mail scam text)

"Royal Mail: Your parcel is awaiting delivery. Please pay the redelivery fee of £1.99 to avoid return: http://royalmail-reschedule.top/parcel"

Why it's fake: sender is a random mobile number (not 61063), the link is not royalmail.com, Royal Mail doesn't charge redelivery fees by text, and the domain was registered days before the campaign.

What the real Royal Mail actually texts

Genuine Royal Mail texts come from 61063 or CUSTOMER and look like: "Your parcel reference XXXX is due for delivery today. Track at royalmail.com" — no payment, no urgent fee, no random link.

If in doubt, go to royalmail.com directly or call 03457 740 740 — never use a number from the text.

I clicked a link in a Royal Mail text — what now?

  1. Stop. Don't enter any more details if the page is still open.
  2. Call your bank immediately (number on the back of your card) if you entered card details — they can block the card.
  3. Report to Action Fraud: actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040.
  4. Forward the text to 7726 — free, alerts your mobile network.
  5. If you paid a "fee", your bank may recover it under the APP fraud rules if you report fast — but the scammer often spends before you notice, so speed matters.

The same scam, different brands

Identical fake texts also impersonate DPD, Evri, Hermes, Yodel, Parcelforce, and DHL. The red flags are always the same: unexpected link + small fee + urgency. If you're not expecting a delivery, it's a scam — full stop.

The bottom line

Royal Mail will never text you a link to pay a delivery fee. Genuine tracking is free and on royalmail.com. Unexpected link + money = scam. When in doubt, track on the official site.

Suspicious of another message? Use the free CyberAware UK Scam Checker to check a link, or see more common UK scams.