The 'Unclaimed Package' Scam: Why That Delivery Text is Dangerous

You are expecting a parcel—perhaps a birthday gift, a grocery delivery, or something you ordered on Amazon. Suddenly, a text message arrives: 'Evri: Your package is being held at our warehouse due to an incorrect address. Please click here to update your details and schedule redelivery.' Or maybe it's from 'Royal Mail,' claiming you owe a £1.50 'shipping fee.'

Because we all shop online, these messages are statistically likely to arrive when we actually have something in the post. This is why the fake delivery text scam is currently the most successful scam in the UK. Scammers don't need to know you have a package; they just send ten thousand texts and wait for the hundred people who happen to be expecting a parcel to click.

The Anatomy of the £1.50 Trap

You might think, 'Well, it's only £1.50, I'll just pay it to get my package.' But the scammers don't want your £1.50. They want you to type your 16-digit credit card number, your expiry date, and your 3-digit CVV security code into their fake website. As soon as you hit 'Submit,' you have handed them the keys to your entire bank account. This is a classic form of phishing that has evolved for the mobile era.

Red Flag 1: The Urgent 'Final Notice'

Real delivery companies will usually leave a physical 'We Missed You' card through your letterbox. They do not send threatening texts saying your package will be 'returned to sender' within 4 hours if you don't pay. Panic is the scammer's best friend.

Red Flag 2: The Strange URL

Look closely at the link. It might say 'evri-parcel-update.com' or 'royalmail-redelivery-uk.net'. The real websites are simply `evri.com` or `royalmail.com`. If there are hyphens or extra words in the address, it is a scam.

What Happens After You Click?

If you are asking i clicked a scam link what do i do, the answer is to act now. Within minutes of you entering your card details, the scammers will often try to add your card to an Apple Pay or Google Pay wallet on their own phone. They will then head to a high-end electronics store and make massive purchases before you even realize your 'delivery fee' was a fake.

The 5-Step Recovery Plan

Call your bank: Use the number on the back of your card. Tell them you entered your card details into a phishing site. They will cancel the card immediately.
Report the text: Forward the scam message to 7726. This is a free UK service that allows mobile providers to investigate and shut down the scammer's number.
Check for malware: If you downloaded an 'app' to track your parcel, you likely have a virus. Use a trusted mobile antivirus to scan your phone.
Change your passwords: If you used the same password for the fake site as you do for your email, change your email password right away.
Report to Action Fraud: This helps the police build a case against the criminal gangs.

The Golden Rule of Deliveries

Never click a link in a delivery text. Instead, open your web browser, type in the delivery company's name yourself, and use their official tracking tool with the number from your original purchase receipt.