UPS text scam: is that delivery text real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated September 8, 2026

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

Exhibit · Text message

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

Illustrative text message · not an original screenshot

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

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

Reduce the risk of another scam

Do not use the message’s link to check the claim. Open the real service yourself. If you paid or shared account details, start with what to do after a scam. Blocking and reporting can reduce unwanted contact, but they cannot stop every attempt or tell you how the sender found you.

● Public service · free steps first

Take the free protection steps first

A suspicious message does not tell us how someone found your details. If you shared personal information, start with the official recovery guidance. You can also freeze your credit for free.

Freeze your credit — free at all three bureausRestricts access to your credit report for new credit applications. It does not protect existing accounts from misuse.
Report it and get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.govThe FTC walks you through exactly what to do next, for free.

Decide what protection you need

Start with the free controls above. Compare what a paid service would add only after deciding which problem remains.

Compare free and paid protection →

No purchase needed. How we use evidence.

Frequently asked

Does UPS text you a link to pay a fee or confirm your address?

UPS warns about unsolicited messages demanding payment or personal information. Do not pay through a suspicious text. Genuine shipment charges can exist, so verify the tracking number and any amount through ups.com or UPS support you reached independently rather than treating every fee message as proof of fraud.

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.

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FedEx text scam: is that delivery text real?

Got a text about a FedEx package on hold, a missed delivery, or a fee to pay? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.

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USPS text scam: is that delivery text real?

Got a USPS text about a held package, an address problem, or a redelivery fee? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.

Sources

01Protect Yourself From Fraud and Scams— UPS
02How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams— Federal Trade Commission
03How To Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages— consumer.ftc.gov

Pass it on

Help protect someone else

If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.