If you've had a text saying a parcel couldn't be delivered and asking you to pay a small fee or "reschedule," you're not alone — fake delivery texts are one of the most common scams in the UK, precisely because almost everyone is expecting a parcel from somewhere.
The good news is they follow a very consistent pattern, and once you know what to look for, they're one of the easier scams to spot.
What a typical delivery scam text says
"We tried to deliver your parcel today but no one was in. Please reschedule and pay a redelivery fee of £1.99: [link]"
"Your parcel is on hold due to unpaid customs charges. Pay now to release your delivery: [link]"
A message that looks like it's from Royal Mail, Evri, DPD, Amazon, or Yodel, often with a genuine-looking logo
The link leads to a fake website designed to look like the real courier's site. It asks for a small "fee," which is really there to capture your card details — number, expiry date, and security code. Some versions go further and ask you to verify your identity, gathering enough information for identity fraud.
The signs it's fake
You weren't expecting a parcel. Or the parcel you were expecting has already arrived.
It asks for a small payment. Legitimate customs charges exist, but couriers don't usually collect them by text link — and a "redelivery fee" for a standard parcel is not something real couriers charge this way.
The link doesn't quite match. It might look close to the real courier's website but with extra words, unusual endings, or a slightly different spelling — worth checking carefully rather than trusting it looks familiar.
The tone pushes urgency. "Pay within 24 hours or your parcel will be returned" is designed to make you act before you think it through.
What to do
Don't click the link. If you're genuinely unsure whether you're expecting something, check directly on the courier's real app or website, or with the shop you ordered from — never through a link in the text.
Delete the text, or report it. In the UK you can forward suspicious texts free to 7726, which helps phone providers block the senders.
Check your bank and card statements if you're ever unsure whether you might have entered details somewhere you shouldn't have.
If you've already clicked the link or entered card details
This happens to careful people too — the sites are made to look convincing. If you've entered card details:
Contact your bank straight away using the number on the back of your card, and ask them to check for and block any unusual transactions.
Don't feel embarrassed to report it. You can report it to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) or, if a bank card was involved, dial 159 to be connected securely to your bank.
Change any passwords you may have reused on the fake site.
Why this scam works so well
It doesn't rely on a convincing story — it relies on timing. Millions of parcels move through the UK every day, so a text about a "missed delivery" lands at exactly the moment someone is likely to be expecting one. If you'd rather have a second opinion before clicking anything that arrives out of the blue, that's exactly the kind of moment Ivy by WorryLess is built for — a quick, patient check before you tap a link, click a button, or share a detail. See our guide on spotting scam texts more generally for the wider picture.