UPS Scam Text Messages: Spot a Fake UPS Delivery Text (UK)
A 'UPS' text says your parcel is held and a customs or delivery fee is due? Here's how to spot a UPS scam text.
What is the UPS scam text?
A UPS scam text is a phishing message that impersonates the courier UPS to steal money and personal details. It usually claims a parcel is being held and that you must pay a fee — frequently framed as a 'customs charge', 'import duty', or 'brokerage fee' — or that a delivery was missed and needs rescheduling through a link. UPS handles a large share of international shipments into the UK, and genuine customs charges can apply to parcels from outside the UK, which is exactly why the 'pay this customs fee' version of the scam is so convincing.
Scammers send these texts in bulk; they're betting that enough recipients are expecting something from abroad to make the customs story believable. Tap the link and you land on a fake UPS page built to capture whatever you type.
How the UPS text scam works, step by step
- A text claiming to be from UPS says your parcel is held pending a customs, import, or redelivery fee, with a link to pay.
- The link opens a counterfeit UPS page on a lookalike domain rather than the official ups.com.
- You're asked for personal details and to pay a modest fee by card, made to seem small and reasonable.
- Your card and contact details are captured instantly and can be used or sold on.
- Some victims then receive a follow-up call from a fake 'bank fraud team' that uses the stolen information to sound legitimate and pressure them into authorising larger payments.
Warning signs of a fake UPS text
- It asks you to pay a customs, import, duty, or redelivery fee via a link in the text. Genuine duties are handled through official channels, not a random SMS link.
- The sender is an ordinary mobile or international number rather than an identifiable UPS sender.
- The web address isn't the official ups.com — look for extra words, hyphens, or unusual endings.
- It uses urgency ('parcel will be returned today') and a generic greeting.
- You aren't expecting an international parcel, or the amount and reference don't match anything you ordered.
- It asks for card details, a one-time passcode, or banking information to 'release' the parcel.
How a genuine UPS charge or delivery actually works
Real customs charges on parcels from outside the UK do exist, but legitimate UPS contacts you about them in a verifiable way and lets you check the charge against your specific tracking number on the official ups.com site. To verify any UPS message, don't use its link — find your tracking number in the retailer's dispatch email, then type ups.com into your browser or open the UPS app and enter the number yourself. If you have a UPS My Choice account, check there.
A genuine process will match a parcel you're actually expecting and won't ask for your full card number, PIN, online banking password, or a security code by text. If anything doesn't line up, treat the message as a scam and check with the retailer you bought from.
What to do if you paid a UPS 'customs' or 'delivery' fee
- Phone your bank straight away on the number on the back of your card, tell them you entered details on a scam site, and ask them to block the card and monitor for fraud.
- Change any password or code you entered and treat it as compromised.
- Watch for a follow-up call posing as your bank — it's part of the scam. Hang up and call back on the official number; your bank will never ask you to move money to a 'safe account'.
- Keep the message and payment details as evidence for your report.
- Check your statements and credit file for anything unexpected over the following weeks.
How to report a UPS scam text in the UK
Forward the text free to 7726 so your mobile network can investigate and block the sender, then delete it. If you've lost money or shared details, report it to Action Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101). Phishing links can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre, and you can alert UPS through the fraud or security section of ups.com so they can act on the fake sites. A quick report helps networks and investigators disrupt the campaign behind the message.
Frequently asked questions
Does UPS ask for a customs fee by text?
Legitimate customs charges on parcels from outside the UK do exist, but UPS does not collect them through a random link in a text message. A text pressuring you to pay a 'customs', 'import', or 'brokerage' fee via a link is almost always a scam. Verify any charge yourself by entering your tracking number on the official ups.com site rather than tapping the link, and check with the retailer if you're unsure.
How do I know if a UPS text is real?
A genuine UPS text matches a parcel you're actually expecting and lets you verify everything on the official ups.com site or in the UPS app using your tracking number; it never asks for your full card number, PIN, or a banking passcode by text. Scam texts come from random numbers, use lookalike web addresses, and rush you to pay. When unsure, don't tap the link — go to ups.com yourself.
I paid a UPS scam text fee — what should I do?
Contact your bank immediately on the number printed on your card, explain you entered details on a fake site, and ask them to freeze the card and watch for fraud. Change any passwords or codes you shared. Be cautious of a follow-up call claiming to be your bank's fraud team — that's the next stage of the scam. Report it to Action Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040.
Where can I report a fake UPS text in the UK?
Forward the message free to 7726 so your network can investigate the sender, then delete it. If money or personal details were lost, report to Action Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland). You can also report the phishing page to the NCSC and notify UPS through ups.com.