How to check if a delivery text is real

Signs a delivery text is fake

• It asks for a small payment

  A redelivery fee, unpaid postage or a customs charge, paid through a link in the message.

• The link looks odd

  A misspelt courier name, extra words, an unusual ending, or a shortened link that hides where it goes.

• It comes from an ordinary mobile number

  Scammers can also fake a sender name, so a familiar name doesn't prove anything either.

• It rushes you

  Phrases like today only, or your parcel will be returned to the sender.

• It doesn't name the shop

  A genuine delivery is linked to an order you placed, and you can check it with that shop.

Steps

1. 1

   Don't tap the link or reply

   Replying, even to say stop, can show scammers that your number is in use.

2. 2

   Find the tracking number yourself

   Look in the order confirmation or dispatch email from the shop, or in your account on the shop's website. The shop will usually say which courier is delivering.

3. 3

   Go to the courier's real website

   Type the address yourself or use the courier's official app. Don't search for it and click the first result, because adverts can sometimes lead to lookalike sites.

4. 4

   Enter the tracking number there

   If a delivery was missed or a fee is genuinely due, the courier's own site or app should be able to show you. If it doesn't recognise anything that needs you, ignore the text.

5. 5

   Report it and delete it

   Forward the text to 7726, free on most UK networks. On most phones you can press and hold the message to find a Forward option. You can also block the sender and report it as junk in your messages app.

If your parcel is with a different courier, use the website address given by the shop you ordered from.

If this happens, try this

• If you tapped the link but entered nothing

  Close the page. Don't download or install anything it offers. If you did install something, get help removing it before you use banking apps on that phone.

• If you entered card or bank details

  Call your bank straight away on 159, or the number on the back of your card. Ask them to stop the card and watch for unusual payments.

• If you entered your name, address or date of birth

  Expect follow-up scams. A common one is a call from someone claiming to be your bank's fraud team, mentioning the fake text. Hang up and call 159 yourself.

• If you entered a password

  Change it on the real website straight away, and anywhere else you use the same password.

• If you've lost money

  Contact your bank first, then report it to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101. Our guide on what to do if you've been scammed online goes through every step.

Things to be careful about

• Fake texts in the same conversation. Scammers can fake the sender's name, so a scam can appear in the same thread as genuine messages from that courier.

• Follow-up calls. Your bank won't ask you to move money to a safe account or read out a code it has sent you.

• Lookalike websites. If a page asks for card details to release a parcel, check the address carefully. Our free guide on checking a website is genuine before you pay can help.