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What to do if…
you get an urgent delivery or customs fee demand for a parcel you were not expecting

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Do not click the link or pay from the message. Check for a real shipment only through the carrier’s official website, the retailer’s order page, or customer service details you look up yourself.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t click the link, scan a QR code, or install a tracking app from the message.
  • Don’t reply to the text or email, and don’t call the number shown in it.
  • Don’t pay a customs, tariff, redelivery, address correction, or release fee through a link in the message.
  • Don’t enter your Social Security number, bank details, card number, passwords, or one-time codes.
  • Don’t pay by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, payment app, or any unusual method because a message says it is urgent.

What to do now

  1. Stop and keep a record without interacting.
    Take a screenshot. Note the sender, date, time, amount requested, and any tracking or reference number.

  2. Check whether there is any real order.
    Look at recent order confirmations from retailers you use. Ask household members whether they sent anything to your address.

  3. Check the tracking number the safe way.
    Type the carrier’s official website into your browser yourself and enter the tracking number there. If the number is not found, the carrier name does not match, or the details do not match anything you know, treat the demand as suspicious.

  4. If the message says customs, duty, tariff, or import fee, verify before paying.
    Real import charges are usually handled through a carrier, broker, retailer, or shipper process. Contact the carrier, retailer, broker, or shipper using details you find independently, not details from the message.

  5. If you clicked the link or entered details, reduce harm now.

    • If you entered card or bank details, contact your bank or card issuer using the number on your card or your official banking app.
    • If you paid, ask the bank or card issuer what fraud or dispute steps are available.
    • If you entered a password, change it now and change it anywhere else you reused it.
    • If you entered a one-time code, tell the affected bank, retailer, email provider, or account provider.

  6. Report the message when you can.

    • Forward suspicious texts to 7726.
    • If it is USPS-related, email [email protected] with the message content and a screenshot showing the sender and date.
    • Report the scam to the FTC.
    • If you lost money or shared sensitive information online, you can also report it to FBI IC3.

  7. If someone tries to deliver a parcel anyway, do not pay because of the text.
    Ask for the official carrier notice or tracking details. If you are unsure, refuse payment and verify later through official carrier or retailer channels you initiate.

What can wait

  • You do not need to work out how the sender got your number right now.
  • You do not need to reply to prove the message is fake.
  • You do not need to decide on a credit freeze or fraud alert unless sensitive identity information, such as your Social Security number, may have been exposed.
  • You do not need to solve every account-security issue at once; start with any card, bank, email, retailer, or delivery account you entered into the fake page.

Important reassurance

These messages are meant to make a small payment feel urgent. Pausing and checking through official routes is a safe way to avoid a scam without ignoring a real delivery.

Scope note

These are first steps only. Later decisions, such as bank disputes, identity-theft protections, or legal options, may need specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or other professional advice. For active account or payment risk, contact your bank, card issuer, or relevant account provider using official details.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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