TL;DR
Royal Mail delivery fee scam texts claim that a parcel could not be delivered and ask for a small payment to redeliver. The link leads to a fake Royal Mail site that harvests bank details. Genuine Royal Mail does not ask for fees through SMS.
Royal Mail delivery fee scam texts target millions of UK phones each year. The texts typically claim that a parcel could not be delivered because of an unpaid customs charge or fee, and ask for a small payment of £1.99 or £2.99 to redeliver. The link leads to a fake Royal Mail site that harvests bank details.
How the scam works
Scam SMS messages typically read along the lines of 'Royal Mail: your parcel could not be delivered due to an unpaid customs fee of £1.99. Pay now to redeliver.' The included link takes the recipient to a website styled to look like the genuine Royal Mail site.
The fake site asks for the customer's name, address, date of birth, bank card number and CVV. With those details the scammers can make unauthorised purchases, sign up to credit products in the victim's name or sell the details on to other criminals.
How Royal Mail actually handles fees
Royal Mail does charge fees for some international deliveries where customs duties apply. The genuine process involves a Fees to Pay card delivered through the letterbox at the same time as a delivery attempt, with payment options through the Royal Mail website or by post.
Royal Mail does not charge fees through SMS. The genuine site at royalmail.com lists the published fees and the official payment process. Customers can check whether a fee is owed by entering the tracking number on the Royal Mail tracking page.
Red flags to spot
Urgent payment requests, particularly small amounts that seem incidental but unlock harvesting of full bank details, are the key scam pattern. Genuine Royal Mail fees are paid through the formal letterbox-delivered card.
Generic greetings, spelling errors and suspicious-looking URLs are also indicators. Real Royal Mail URLs are on royalmail.com or royalmail.gov.uk subdomains, not lookalike domains that include extra characters or different top-level domains.
How to report a Royal Mail scam
Forward scam texts to 7726, which spells SPAM on a keypad. Mobile networks review the reports and can block known scam senders. Royal Mail also accepts reports through its corporate website at royalmail.com/business/help/contact, with a dedicated scam reporting form.
Report wider fraud to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040. The reports contribute to the UK fraud intelligence picture and support enforcement action.
If you have already paid
Contact your bank immediately. The Stop Scams UK helpline on 159 connects directly to the bank's fraud team. Cancel any cards that may have been compromised.
Change passwords on any accounts that may have been affected. Sign up to free credit monitoring with Experian, Equifax or TransUnion to detect unauthorised credit applications. Report the incident to Action Fraud for record purposes.
Key facts
- Royal Mail does not charge delivery fees through SMS.
- Genuine fees come through letterbox-delivered cards.
- Forward scam texts to 7726.
- Stop Scams UK helpline is 159.
- Action Fraud reporting at 0300 123 2040.
FAQ
Does Royal Mail send fee requests by text?
No. Royal Mail charges fees through letterbox-delivered Fees to Pay cards with payment through royalmail.com or by post. Any SMS demanding a delivery fee is a scam.
How do I check if a parcel really has a fee?
Enter the tracking number on the Royal Mail tracking page at royalmail.com. Genuine fees appear in the tracking detail and are paid through the formal process, not by SMS link.
How do I report a Royal Mail scam?
Forward the SMS to 7726. Report to Royal Mail through royalmail.com/business/help/contact and to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.
What if I have already paid?
Contact your bank immediately on 159 to reach the fraud team. Cancel compromised cards and change passwords on affected accounts. Sign up to credit monitoring to detect any unauthorised activity.
