Got a missed delivery text? What to do
A text saying you missed a delivery, or owe a small fee, is a favourite trick. You can check a real parcel without tapping anything.
Verify › Guides › Got a missed delivery text? What to do · Last updated 19/10/2026
Why delivery texts are used
Almost everyone is expecting a parcel at some point, so a message about one feels believable. Scammers send these texts in bulk, hoping some land while you are really waiting for something. The link usually leads to a fake page that asks for a small redelivery fee and your card details.
Warning signs
- A text from a number you do not recognise about a parcel you cannot place.
- A link and a request to pay a small fee, or to update your address.
- Pressure such as “final notice” or a short deadline.
- Poor spelling, or a web address that does not match the carrier.
How to check a real parcel
- Do not tap the link in the text.
- Open the carrier's official app, or type their website address in yourself.
- Use the tracking number from your order confirmation, or check your account with the shop.
- If nothing shows there, the text was almost certainly not genuine.
Check a link with Verify
If you want to see where a link leads, open Verify and paste the address in rather than tapping it. You get a traffic light and a plain-English reason. Verify gives guidance only and cannot guarantee a link is safe or unsafe.
Report it
- Forward the text to 7726.
- Report suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
- If you entered card details, call your bank straight away.
- Report fraud to the Report Fraud service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or call Police Scotland on 101.
Check a QR code, link or phone number
Common questions
Is a missed delivery text always a scam?
No, but you cannot tell from the message alone. Check through the carrier's official app or website rather than the link in the text.
What if I already tapped the link?
Do not enter any details. If you did enter card details, contact your bank straight away and report it.
Would a real carrier ask for a fee by text?
Be cautious. If a fee is claimed, check your order and the carrier's official site yourself before paying anything.
More guides
- How to check if a QR code is safe
- How to spot a scam link
- Is this phone number a scam?
- How to avoid parking QR code scams
- QR codes in emails and PDFs: what to check
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Verify gives guidance only and cannot guarantee that any link, code or number is safe. If something feels wrong, trust that feeling and check another way.