Delivery Scams5 min readPublished 10 June 2026 · Updated 21 September 2026
Royal Mail Parcel Scam Texts: How to Spot and Avoid Them
Fake Royal Mail delivery texts can imitate parcel updates and payment requests. Learn practical checks and safer next steps if you receive one.
A text that says a parcel is waiting and asks for a small redelivery payment is designed to make a routine delivery feel time-critical. Royal Mail and the National Cyber Security Centre advise people not to use links in unexpected missed-delivery messages; open the carrier site or app independently instead.
What Does a Royal Mail Scam Text Look Like?
These messages are carefully crafted to look legitimate. They typically arrive from an unknown mobile number or a short code, and they use Royal Mail's branding, colour scheme, and official-sounding language. Common phrases include:
- "Your parcel could not be delivered. A £2.99 redelivery fee is required."
- "Your package is being held at our depot. Click to confirm your address."
- "We attempted delivery. Reschedule here: [shortened link]"
The link leads to a convincing fake Royal Mail website that asks for your name, address, and payment card details. Once entered, your information is harvested and your card may be charged far more than the stated fee.
How to Tell if a Royal Mail Text is Real
Do not use a link in an unexpected delivery text to make a payment or enter details. If you are expecting a parcel, go independently to the carrier's official website or app and enter your tracking number there.
| Genuine Royal Mail | Scam Text |
|---|---|
| Uses your name | Generic greeting ("Dear Customer") |
| Links to royalmail.com | Links to a lookalike domain (e.g. royal-mail-uk.com) |
| Never asks for card details by text | Requests payment via link |
| Provides a real tracking number | No tracking number, or a fake one |
What to Do If You Receive One
Do not click the link. Forward the text to 7726, the UK's free spam-reporting service. If you believe you have been defrauded, report it through Report Fraud; you can also report a suspicious website through the official phishing routes listed below.
What to Do If You Already Clicked
If you entered card details, contact your bank immediately and follow its advice. Change any passwords you may have entered and report the incident through Report Fraud.
A safe ScammersCheck walkthrough
Copy only the link or sender number into ScammersCheck rather than forwarding the whole message. A result can add reputation context, but a clean result does not prove that a new domain is safe. Do not open the link to test it, and do not paste names, addresses, tracking numbers, or payment details into a public place.
Source note: This guide is checked against the NCSC missed-parcel SMS guidance and the GOV.UK phishing-reporting guidance. Message wording varies; the examples here are illustrative, not a claim that every message with the same words is fraudulent.
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