untrappable

UPS text scam: is that delivery text real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated July 8, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. UPS doesn't text you a link to pay a fee or confirm your address.

Text Message · Today 11:42 AM
from +1 (202) 555-0162
UPS: Your package is on hold. We were unable to deliver due to an unpaid fee ($1.99). Confirm your address to reschedule: ups-redelivery.info/track
The Text message, as received

Other versions you might get: A text saying your package couldn't be delivered, that there's a “customs charge” to pay, that you need to confirm your address, or a fake tracking link for an order you don't remember.

What to do right now

  1. Don't tap the link or pay any fee. Don't reply — even “STOP” tells them the number is live.
  2. Track it yourself instead. Open the UPS app or type ups.com by hand and check with your real tracking number.
  3. If you already entered card details: call your bank, freeze or replace the card, and watch for charges you didn't make.
  4. Report it. Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM), then file at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
  5. Delete the message.

How to make sure it never bites you

You got this because your number is on a list scammers buy and resell, often right after you've ordered something online. Get it removed and add a layer between you and them — see how to stop spam texts for good.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

You got this because your details are on lists that get bought, sold, and leaked. You can't unspill that, but you can make it useless to a scammer. Start with the free steps — they do most of the work.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

If you'd rather have it watched for you, an identity-protection service monitors your accounts, SSN, and the dark web, warns you the moment something new appears, and helps you recover if someone gets through.

See identity protection →

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Frequently asked

Does UPS text you a link to pay a fee or confirm your address?
No. UPS states plainly that it does not request payments, personal information, account numbers, passwords, or copies of invoices in an unsolicited way through text, email, phone, or fax — and never in exchange for delivering a package. It also warns you to never wire money or send money orders, gift cards, or cash. So a “UPS” text asking for a small fee or your address to release a held package is the scam itself. Real charges are handled at pickup or in the UPS Billing Center, never through a texted link.
How can I tell a real UPS text from a fake one?
Don't judge it by the message — judge it by where the link goes. UPS says the safe move is to ignore the embedded link and reach it yourself by typing ups.com by hand. Fakes lean on look-alike web addresses (UPS gives “unitedparcelservices.com” as one example) and links padded with numbers or odd misspellings. If you didn't sign up for a text alert with a real tracking number, treat any UPS text with a tap-here link as fraud and track the package on the official site instead.
I paid the UPS “redelivery” fee by text — what should I do now?
Treat it as a card number in a stranger's hands, not a lost dollar or two. Call your bank or card issuer, freeze or replace the card, and watch your statements for charges you didn't make — scammers resell working card numbers fast. If you also entered a password you use elsewhere, change it on every account that shares it, then report the text to UPS and file at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.