How to Spot Fake Delivery Texts and Emails

Picture this: you’re juggling work and kids in a rainy Manchester flat. Your phone buzzes. A text claims Royal Mail tried to deliver your parcel but missed you. Pay £1.45 for redelivery now, it says, with a handy link. Heart races. You almost tap.

In January 2026, fake delivery scams surge across the UK. Fraud accounts for 44% of all crime, costing victims £900 on average. Reports highlight spikes in texts mimicking Evri, DPD, and Royal Mail. Fake sites pretending to be these firms jumped 86% in a month. Smishing hits 38% of cases, tricking people fast with urgent alerts.

These cons thrive in busy times. Shoppers expect parcels. Scammers mix real details with lies. They steal card info or bank login after one click. This post arms you with simple steps to spot fakes quick. Learn real examples, red flags, and actions. Ready to guard your next buzz?

How Fake Delivery Scams Target You Right Now

Scammers pick busy Brits. They send texts from spoofed numbers that look local. Message hits at 7pm, peak unwind time. It claims your Evri parcel waits at a depot. Pay a small fee via link. Or your DPD box needs rescheduling.

Take a fresh January 2026 case. Victim in London gets: “Evri: Your package awaits. Pay £1.45 for redelivery: [bit.ly/evri-pay-now]”. Link leads to a site mimicking Evri’s orange logo. Enter card details. Boom, fraudsters drain accounts.

Royal Mail fakes push “missed you” cards. They drop fake door tags too. Pick up at depot after paying online. Urgency sells it: “Act in 24 hours or return to sender”. DPD versions say customs holds your gift. Fees start low, £2.99, to hook you.

Click, and malware grabs data. Or fake site logs keystrokes. Victims face bank drains or identity theft. UK losses near £100 million from such AI-boosted tricks by late 2025, climbing now. Sound familiar? These prey on trust in familiar names.

Businesses suffer too. False claims cost over £1 billion in 2024. Students get hit hard with “international parcel issues”. Always pause. Real firms track via apps, not random texts.

Common Messages from Evri, DPD and Royal Mail Fakes

Scammers copy real styles but slip up. Here are verbatim examples from recent UK reports:

• Evri fake: “Evri Alert: Missed delivery. Reschedule for £1.45. Track here: evri-track.co.uk/pay”. Looks real with logo preview. But real Evri uses app notifications, no fees via text.
• DPD scam: “DPD: Your parcel at depot. Pay storage £2.99 now: dpd-update.com”. Urgent tone. Legit DPD emails from @dpd.co.uk only.
• Royal Mail con: “Royal Mail: Attempted delivery failed. Pay £1.20 redelivery: royalmail-update.com”. Spoofed 07 number. True ones come from 62424 shortcode.
• Hybrid fake: “Yodel/Evri: Delay issue. Click to resolve: [short link]”. Blends firms. Real messages match your tracking number exactly.

Spot the push to click. Real alerts guide to official apps.

Spot the Red Flags in Texts and Emails Instantly

Your phone lights up from an unknown 07xxx number. Pause. No legit courier asks for link clicks to pay fees. That’s rule one. Scammers love short links hiding malware.

Urgency screams fake. Words like “act now”, “expires soon”, or “24 hours left” pressure you. Real firms give days. That buzz feels exciting, but it’s bait.

Sender details fail check. Texts from random mobiles, not shortcodes like Royal Mail’s 62424. Emails? Forget @royalmail.com. Fakes use gmail or royalmail-support.net. Hover over sender.

Links lie. Hover on phone? Long press reveals true URL. “royalmail.com” becomes “royalmai1.com” with digit L swap. Or bit.ly hides evil. For a full list of warning signs, check Which?’s guide on spotting messaging scams.

Poor grammar or odd phrasing. “Your parcel is waiting for collection pay now”. Real pros write clean. Typos scream bot.

Wrong details. No tracking number match? Fake. Or demands gift cards, crypto. Couriers take bank transfer via sites.

Unexpected cash ask. Storage fees sound real post-holidays. But check app first. Logo previews trick eyes. Scammers embed them.

Next ping? Run this list. Saves your wallet. See Ocean Finance’s breakdown of parcel scams for more visuals.

Real Messages vs Fake Ones: Quick Comparison

Spot fakes fast with this side-by-side. Use official sites for truth.

Real ones come via expected channels. Fakes rush you.

What to Do If You Get a Suspicious Message

Delete first. Never click. Type the real site yourself: royalmail.com/track or evri.com. Log in, check status. No issue? Safe.

Contact direct. Call Royal Mail 03457 740 740, Evri 0330 808 5456, DPD 0844 824 0565. Use numbers from sites, not messages. Ask about your parcel.

Forward texts to 7726. Free report to networks. Labels spam. Emails? Forward to report@phishing.gov.uk or abuse@domain.

If clicked? Change passwords. Check bank apps. Freeze cards via app. Report to Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk. Detail message, link.

Prevent ahead. Use tracking apps. Opt for safe drop points. Enable two-factor on accounts. You hold power here.

For quick scam checks, try this tool from scam spotters.

Report Scams and Block Future Ones Fast

Forward texts to 7726 now. Emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Use Citizens Advice scam checker online.

Action Fraud takes reports online or via 0300 123 2040. Note sender, time, link.

Block numbers. Mark junk mail. Update phone spam filters. Secure accounts with alerts.

Conclusion

Fake delivery texts prey with urgency and trust. Spot red flags like odd senders, link pushes, and fee demands. Verify direct via official sites. Report every one.

You spot them now: hover links, check domains, forward to 7726. Gut says odd? Trust it. UK scams rise, but armed readers win.

Share this with family. Check your recent pings. Safe parcels await. Stay sharp out there.