As the holiday shopping season approaches, many consumers are completing their Christmas purchases, often leading to a rise in package delivery notifications. However, some individuals are falling victim to scams disguised as legitimate delivery alerts. Criminals are sending fraudulent text messages claiming that a delivery cannot be completed, prompting recipients to pay a small redelivery fee.
Reports indicate that these messages, often sent en masse, exploit consumer expectations during peak shopping periods, aiming to confuse individuals who may be preoccupied with tracking orders. Evri, a major courier in the UK, reported around 10,000 cases of delivery fraud from November 2024 to January 2025.
Lee Howard, from Evri’s information security team, clarified that genuine delivery services do not charge redelivery fees after multiple delivery attempts. The messages often create a sense of urgency and lack personalized information, increasing their resemblance to legitimate notices.
Fraudulent texts typically instruct recipients to visit a spoof website to correct delivery issues. The goal of criminals is to collect sensitive personal information, such as payment details or login credentials. Reports have suggested that victims may later notice their information being misused in other scams.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) cautions consumers about the risk of malware from such links, which could further compromise personal data.
To protect themselves, individuals are advised to carefully verify the legitimacy of any delivery notifications. They should be cautious of messages that lack personal details and originate from unknown numbers. Upon recognizing a potential scam, recipients should promptly contact their bank and consider reporting the message to their mobile carrier to help prevent further scams.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/nov/30/problem-with-your-parcel-spray-and-pay-delivery-scam-black-friday