USPS Scam Text: "Package Can't Be Delivered" Messages and How to Spot Them
USPS doesn't text you a link to fix a failed delivery unless you asked for tracking. Learn the real USPS scam text wording, the red flags, and what to do if you entered your card.
"USPS: Your package is on hold due to an incomplete address. Please update within 12 hours: [link]." If you got this, you're not alone — the "USPS text scam" is one of the most reported smishing messages in the US.
Search the number or link from the USPS text
How the USPS scam text works
The link opens a page that copies the USPS look and asks for a small "redelivery fee" — often $0.30 to $3. What the scammers want is your card number, security code and home address. Some pages also ask for a one-time code your bank sends, which lets them add your card to their own phone wallet.
Red flags
- You didn't sign up for USPS tracking texts for that package.
- The link isn't usps.com (look for extra words, hyphens, or strange endings).
- There's a countdown or a threat that the package will be returned.
- It asks for payment. USPS never charges a fee through a text link.
What USPS actually says
The US Postal Inspection Service states that USPS will not send texts or emails without a customer first requesting the service with a tracking number, and those messages will not contain a link to pay.
What to do
- Don't click. If you're expecting a package, check tracking on usps.com yourself.
- Forward the text to spam@uspis.gov and 7726.
- If you entered card details, call your bank now.
- Report the number on scamers.org so the next person who searches it gets a warning.
See also: toll scam texts and the scam text checker.
Frequently asked questions
Does USPS send texts about failed deliveries?
USPS only sends tracking texts if you requested them for a specific tracking number, and those texts never ask for payment or personal information. A surprise text with a link to 'update your address' is a scam.
How do I report a USPS scam text?
Forward the text to spam@uspis.gov (the Postal Inspection Service) and to 7726, then report the number on scamers.org.
I paid the redelivery fee. What should I do?
Call your card issuer right away to block the card and dispute the charge, then report it to the Postal Inspection Service and the FTC.