Guide Delivery & toll texts
USPS Text Scam: USPS Will Never Send You This Text
Postal Inspectors say USPS only texts people who asked for tracking, and never with a link. See the fake text, a 5-question check and how to report it.
By Nathan Fielder Checked against official sources
Updated : Added FTC 2024 text-scam data and a five-question check for any USPS text. Published
Quick answer
USPS only sends texts if you signed up for tracking with a tracking number, and those texts never include a link. A surprise text about a failed delivery or a small redelivery fee is a scam. Don't tap it; forward it to 7726 and check tracking yourself at usps.com or in the official app.
If a text like the one below shows up on your phone, it’s the USPS text scam, and you can delete it with confidence. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service — the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service — says plainly that USPS will not send you text messages or emails unless you first asked for them with a tracking number. And even when you did, the text will not contain a link.
That one fact makes the fake package scam easy to spot.
USPS: Your package is on hold at our warehouse due to an incomplete address. Please update your details within 24 hours or the item will be returned to sender: https://usps-redelivery.example.com/track
A redelivery fee of $0.30 applies.
How common is the USPS text scam?
When the Federal Trade Commission ranked the text scams people reported in 2024, fake package delivery problems came first. The FTC says these messages usually pretend to be from the U.S. Postal Service, claim there is a problem with a delivery, and link to a look-alike website. People often pay a small “redelivery fee” — which is really a way to collect their credit card number or Social Security number.
Postal Inspectors call this “smishing” — phishing by text message (SMS). The small fee is the hook. Paying 30 cents feels harmless, but the scammers are collecting your full card details.
How can you tell if a USPS text is fake?
Ask these questions any time a text claims to be from the Postal Service. If the answer to any of them is yes, it is a scam.
1. Did I sign up for text tracking for this exact package?
Real USPS tracking texts only come after you request them for a specific tracking number. If you never did that, the text is not from USPS — no matter how official it looks.
2. Does the message contain a link?
According to Postal Inspectors, genuine USPS tracking texts do not contain links. A link — especially one that does not look like a normal address, or that is shortened or misspelled — is the clearest sign of a scam.
3. Is it asking for money or personal information?
Fake texts often ask for a small “redelivery” or “customs” fee, or for you to “confirm” your address, date of birth or card details. The Postal Inspection Service lists requests for passwords, Social Security numbers, card numbers or PINs as warning signs.
4. Is it rushing me?
“Within 12 hours.” “Will be returned to sender.” “Final notice.” A deadline is designed to make you act before you think. A real package will not vanish because you took a few minutes to check.
5. Did I check it myself — or am I trusting the message?
This is the habit that protects you from every kind of delivery scam. Do not use anything in the text. Instead:
- Find the tracking number on your receipt or in the order confirmation from the seller.
- Open your web browser and type the USPS website address yourself, or open the official USPS app you installed.
- Enter the tracking number there.
If there is a real problem, you will see it on the official site.
USPS Notice: We attempted delivery today but your parcel could not be delivered due to an unpaid customs fee of $1.99. Confirm and pay here within 12 hours: https://parcel-help.example.com/us
Can you trust the number a USPS text came from?
No. Scam texts can come from any phone number, including numbers that look local. The Postal Inspection Service also notes that these messages may pretend to be from a government agency, a bank or another company — the delivery story is just one disguise.
What should you do if you tapped the link?
Do not panic, and do not enter anything. The Postal Inspection Service advises telling your financial institution even if you did not submit any information. If you did type in card details, call your card company right away and ask them to cancel the card. If you entered your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. Our first-hour checklist covers the rest.
How do you report a fake USPS text?
Forward the text to 7726 to help carriers block the number, and send the details to spam@uspis.gov: copy the message text without clicking the link, include your name, and attach a screenshot that shows the sender’s number and the date. Then delete the text and block the sender.
For step-by-step instructions on iPhone and Android, read how to report a scam text. Fake toll-payment texts work exactly the same way — see what real toll agencies never ask.
See all of our warnings about fake delivery and toll-road texts.
Red flags: how to spot this scam
- You get a delivery text from "USPS" even though you never signed up for text tracking for that package.
- The text contains a link — the Postal Inspection Service says real USPS tracking texts never do.
- It asks you to "update" your address or pay a small redelivery or customs fee, or asks for card numbers, passwords or other personal information.
- It rushes you: "within 12 hours," "final notice," or "will be returned to sender."
What to do
- Do not tap the link or reply.
- To check on a real package, type the USPS website address into your browser yourself, or open the official USPS app, and enter the tracking number from your receipt or the seller.
- Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block the sender.
- Report it to the Postal Inspection Service by emailing spam@uspis.gov with the message text (copied without clicking the link), your name, and a screenshot showing the sender's number and the date.
- Delete the text and block the number.
- If you clicked the link, tell your bank or card company right away, even if you did not enter anything.
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Where to report it
Reporting helps investigators spot patterns and warn others — even if you did not lose money. Type these addresses yourself or use the links below; do not use links from a suspicious message.
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U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Fake USPS texts and emails, and fraud that uses the U.S. Mail.
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Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Any scam, fraud or bad business practice — calls, texts, emails, websites and impostors.
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Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Unwanted robocalls, spoofed caller ID and spam texts.
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FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Online and computer-related fraud, including tech-support, romance, investment and crypto scams.
You can also report to your state attorney general. If you sent money, call your bank or card company right away using the number on the back of your card.
Frequently asked questions
Does USPS ever send text messages?
Yes, but only if you ask for them. The Postal Inspection Service says USPS will not text or email you unless you first request the service with a tracking number — and even then, the text will not contain a link.
What is a fake package scam?
It is a text or email that pretends to be from a delivery company — most often the U.S. Postal Service — and claims there is a problem with a package. The link leads to a look-alike website that collects your card number or Social Security number, often by asking for a small redelivery fee.
What if I really am waiting for a package?
That is what scammers count on. Check the tracking number you got from the seller yourself, by typing the USPS website address into your browser or using the official app — never through a link in an unexpected text.
What if the text has my correct name in it?
Scammers can get names and phone numbers from data breaches and public lists. Your name in a message is not proof that it is real.
Is it safe to reply STOP?
It is safest not to reply at all. Forward the text to 7726 and delete it.
Where do I report a fake USPS text?
Forward it to 7726, and email the details to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at spam@uspis.gov. You can also report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
We rely on official government sources. Read how we check facts in our editorial policy.
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service: Smishing — Package Tracking Text Scams (updated May 19, 2025) (uspis.gov, accessed )
- FTC Data Spotlight: Top text scams of 2024 (Apr. 14, 2025) (ftc.gov, accessed )
- FTC: What To Do if You Were Scammed (consumer.ftc.gov, accessed )
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