Delivery Scam Texts Are Everywhere Right Now. Here’s How to Dodge Them!

If your phone has been blowing up with “Your package couldn’t be delivered, click here” texts lately, you’re not the only one. Delivery scams spike every fall as more of us shop online for the holidays, and scammers know a fake shipping notice is one of the easiest ways to get you to click without thinking.

Here’s how it usually works: you get a text or email that looks like it’s from FedEx, USPS, or Amazon, saying there’s a problem with your delivery. The link takes you to a page that looks legit and asks for your card number “to reschedule” or “pay a small fee.” Once you enter it, that info is sent straight to a scammer.

A few ways to protect yourself:

• Don’t click the link. Go straight to the shipping company’s app or website instead and check your tracking number there.
• Watch for urgency. Real delivery issues don’t usually demand you act in the next 10 minutes.
• Check the sender. A random 10-digit number or a weird email address is a red flag.
• When in doubt, don’t type or enter anything. No legit carrier needs your card number to “release” a package.

If you’re waiting on a lot of packages this time of year, it’s easy to let your guard down for just a second. That’s exactly what scammers are counting on. Slow down, verify through the real website or app, and keep that hard-earned paycheck where it belongs. In your account, not a scammer’s!