Delivery Scam Guide
Royal Mail Scam Text
Royal Mail scam texts are one of the most reported smishing attacks in the UK. The 'unpaid £1.99 shipping fee' is a phishing trap that captures card and personal details — and often leads to a follow-up bank scam.
What is this scam?
A Royal Mail scam text claims your parcel is being held at the depot until you pay a small "shipping fee" or "customs charge". The amount (usually £1.50–£2.99) is deliberately small so you don't think twice. The link leads to a fake Royal Mail page that captures your card details, full address, and date of birth — which scammers then use to commit identity theft or to call you posing as your bank's fraud team a few days later.
Common warning signs
- Message about a small unpaid fee (£1.99, €2.50)
- Tracking links that don't go to royalmail.com
- Urgency: '24 hours or parcel returns to sender'
- Generic 'Dear Customer' greeting
- Asks for full address, DOB, or card details
- Sender is a mobile number, not Royal Mail's official ID
- Tracking number that doesn't match Royal Mail's format
Realistic scam examples
Fake redelivery fee
Royal Mail: Your parcel #RM48291 is held at our depot due to an unpaid shipping fee of £1.99. Update payment to release: https://royalmail-redelivery-fee.co/track. Failure to pay in 24h returns parcel to sender.
Fake customs charge
RoyalMail: A package addressed to you is held in customs awaiting a £2.50 import fee. Pay now to release: https://royal-mail-customs-pay.com
How to stay safe
- Royal Mail will leave a 'Something for You' card at your address — they don't text for fees on UK domestic post.
- Never click delivery links. Track parcels directly at royalmail.com using the reference from your order email.
- Forward Royal Mail scam texts to 7726 (free).
- If you entered card details, freeze the card immediately and watch for follow-up 'fraud team' calls — those are the same scammers.
- Report identity theft concerns to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040 in the UK).
Not sure if a message is a scam?
Paste it into our free AI scam checker for an instant analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Does Royal Mail send payment texts?
Royal Mail only requests fees by SMS for international items where customs charges genuinely apply, and only if you've registered your number for Track & Trace updates. They will never threaten 'return to sender' for £1.99.
Is this Royal Mail link fake?
If the URL doesn't end in royalmail.com (e.g. royal-mail-redelivery.co, royalmail-fee.online), it is fake. Paste the message into ScamSentinel for an instant analysis.
What happens if I clicked the Royal Mail link?
If you only clicked, you're likely fine — clear your browser data and run an antivirus scan. If you entered card details or personal info, freeze your card now and report to your bank and Action Fraud.
Why did I get a Royal Mail scam text?
Scammers send these messages in bulk to randomly generated UK numbers. Receiving one doesn't mean you've been specifically targeted — but always treat the message as untrusted.