What's going on
Fake delivery texts are one of the most common scams in the UK right now. You get a text that looks like it's from Royal Mail, Evri, or DPD. It says there's a parcel waiting and you need to pay a small fee or confirm your details. The text includes a link. The link goes to a website that looks convincing. And if you enter your card details, the criminals behind it will take a lot more than £1.99.
This type of fraud is called smishing, which is phishing done by text message rather than email. The numbers are staggering. Over 41 million scam texts and emails have been reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) since it launched in 2020 (NCSC). UK Finance reported that fraudsters stole more than £600 million in the first half of 2025 alone, with a large chunk of that starting from a text message or a phone call.
What these texts look like
These are examples based on real scam texts reported across the UK. The wording changes, but the pattern stays the same: a missed parcel, a small fee, and a link.
"Royal Mail: Your parcel could not be delivered due to an unpaid shipping fee of £1.99. Please settle this here: rm-redelivery-uk.com"
"We attempted to deliver your parcel today. To reschedule delivery, please visit: royal-mail-reschedule.co.uk"
"Royal Mail: A customs charge of £2.49 is required before we can release your item. Pay now: royalmail-customs-fee.com"
"DPD: A parcel is waiting for you. Pay the £1.45 redelivery fee to receive it: dpd-redelivery.co.uk"
What to notice
These texts almost always come from a random mobile number, not from "Royal Mail" as a named sender. The URLs look plausible at first glance but are not official Royal Mail domains. The real Royal Mail website is royalmail.com. Anything else is fake.
How the scam works
It's a simple trick, but it works because of timing and trust. Here's how it plays out from start to finish.
1. The text arrives
Criminals send these messages out in bulk. They don't know whether you're expecting a parcel. They don't need to. With millions of people ordering things online every week, the odds are good that someone who receives the text will be waiting for a delivery. That's all it takes.
Why the timing works
Scammers ramp up these texts around Black Friday, Christmas, and January sales when online orders peak. But they run year round because there's always someone expecting a parcel.
2. You click the link
The link takes you to a website that looks exactly like the Royal Mail site. The logo is right. The colours are right. The layout is familiar. These fake sites are getting better all the time. Some even have working tracking pages that show a fake parcel in transit.
How to spot a fake URL
The real Royal Mail website is royalmail.com. Scam sites use lookalike addresses like royalmail-redelivery.com, rm-delivery-uk.co.uk, or royalmail.track-parcel.com. If the domain isn't royalmail.com, it's not Royal Mail.
3. You enter your card details
You think you're paying £1.99 for a redelivery. The site asks for your full card number, expiry date, and CVV code. Some versions also ask for your name, address, and date of birth. The moment you hit "pay", the criminals have everything they need to empty your account or go on a spending spree with your card.
4. The real damage
Criminals either drain your account themselves or sell your card details to other fraudsters. Some set up recurring payments. Others make large purchases in your name. Which? reported a case where a victim lost £4,000 from a single Royal Mail text scam. The small "fee" in the original text is just bait.
Why such small amounts?
Asking for £1.99 rather than £199 makes the whole thing feel low risk. People are far more likely to hand over card details for a couple of quid than for a large sum. That's the trick.
How Royal Mail actually handles fees
The real process when you owe a fee
If customs duty or a handling charge is owed on a parcel from abroad, Royal Mail will leave a grey "Fee to Pay" card through your letterbox. This is a physical card, not a text message. The card explains what you owe and gives you options for paying.
Grey card through the door
Physical notification left at your address
Pay at royalmail.com/pay-fee
Or at the Post Office in person
No unsolicited text links
Royal Mail does not text you payment links (Royal Mail)
How to tell fake from real
Signs it's a scam
- • Text comes from a random mobile number
- • Contains a link asking you to pay
- • Asks for your full card details
- • No specific tracking reference given
- • Urgent language ("pay within 24 hours")
- • Fee is usually between £1 and £3
- • URL doesn't end in royalmail.com
Signs it's genuine
- ✓ Grey "Fee to Pay" card through your letterbox
- ✓ References a specific tracking number
- ✓ Directs you to royalmail.com (the real site)
- ✓ No pressure to act within hours
- ✓ You can pay at your local Post Office
- ✓ Related to an international order you placed
- ✓ Fee amount matches the customs declaration
Already clicked the link? Do this now
Ring your bank straight away
If you entered card details on the fake site, call the number on the back of your debit or credit card. Tell them what happened. They can freeze your card, block any pending payments, and in some cases reverse transactions that have already gone through. Most banks have a 24/7 fraud line for exactly this.
Change your passwords
If the fake site asked for an email address and password (some do), change those login details immediately. If you use the same password on other accounts, change those too. A password manager makes this a lot easier going forward.
Run a virus scan on your phone
Some of these scam links install malware on your device. Run your antivirus app if you have one. On Android, check for any apps you don't recognise that were installed recently. On iPhone, the risk is lower but it's still worth checking.
Report it
Forward the scam text to 7726 (free from all UK networks). Email a screenshot to [email protected]. If you've lost money, report it to Report Fraud at reporting.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud in December 2025.
Where to report scam texts
Report Fraud
The UK's fraud and cyber crime reporting service (replaced Action Fraud in December 2025)
Forward Scam Texts
Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (spells SPAM)
Golden Rules for Spotting Fake Delivery Texts
- Never click links in delivery texts you weren't expecting
- Go to royalmail.com directly to check tracking
- Keep a note of what you've ordered and when
- Genuine fees come with a grey card through the door
- Forward scam texts to 7726
- Report to Report Fraud if you've lost money
- Tell your bank straight away if you entered card details
- Warn family and friends about these texts