The “Missed Package” Text Scam That Is Emptying Bank Accounts

You are waiting for a package. Maybe it’s a birthday gift for your grandchild, a new tool you ordered, or a prescription refill. Then your phone buzzes with a text message that reads: “USPS: Your package has a delivery issue. Please confirm your address within 24 hours to avoid return to sender.” There is a link, often ending in something like “.xyz” or “.top.” You click it because you don’t want the hassle of a returned shipment. That click is exactly what the scammers want.

This is the missed-delivery scam, one of the most common and effective online cons targeting Americans in their fifties and sixties. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers lost more than $330 million to text-message scams in 2022 alone, with a significant chunk coming from fake delivery notifications. The scam works because it exploits two things that are true about your life right now: you order things online, and you are busy. Scammers count on you acting quickly without thinking.

Here is how the con unfolds. You receive a text that appears to come from a major carrier such as the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, or UPS. The message says you missed a delivery or that the carrier needs to “update your delivery preferences.” The link takes you to a website that looks almost identical to the real carrier’s site. It will have logos, official-looking boxes, and fields asking for your name, address, phone number, and—here is the trap—your credit card number. The page explains that you must pay a “redelivery fee” of $1.99 or $2.99 to schedule a new drop-off. That small amount feels harmless. You type in your card details. Within hours, the scammers have charged hundreds or thousands of dollars, often buying gift cards or prepaid debit cards that cannot be traced.

But the damage does not stop with a stolen credit card number. The fake website may also ask for your Social Security number or date of birth under the pretense of “verifying your identity.” Once they have that information, they can open new credit accounts, file fraudulent tax returns, or take out loans in your name. Identity theft is a nightmare that can take years to untangle, and it hits older adults especially hard because their credit histories are long and complex.

How can you spot this scam? The first red flag is the phone number the text came from. Genuine delivery alerts from USPS, UPS, or FedEx come from short codes like “USPS” or “FEDEX,” not from a random 10-digit number. Real carriers never ask for payment via a text message link. They also never request your Social Security number or other sensitive personal data through a text. The language itself is often off: the message might say “Dear Customer” instead of using your name. The link will look suspicious—something like “usps-delivery-123.top” rather than “usps.com.” If you hover over the link (on a computer) or long-press it on your phone, you can see the actual URL without clicking. If it does not end in .com or .gov with the carrier’s correct domain, do not touch it.

What should you do if you receive such a text? Do not reply, do not click, and do not call any number listed in the message. Delete it immediately. If you are genuinely expecting a package, go directly to the carrier’s official website or app and track your shipment using the tracking number from your order confirmation. You can also call the carrier using the phone number on their official website—never the number in the text. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also forward the suspicious text to 7726 (SPAM), which helps phone carriers block the sender.

One real example: Last holiday season, a woman in Ohio received a text claiming her Amazon package was undeliverable. She clicked the link, paid the $2.99 “redelivery fee” with her debit card, and thought nothing more of it. Three days later, her bank account was drained—$4,700 gone in a series of small transactions that looked like purchases at convenience stores across the country. The bank eventually refunded the money after a lengthy dispute, but she had to cancel her card, change all her online passwords, and spend hours on the phone. She told her local news station she felt stupid, but she was not. Anyone can fall for these messages when they are rushed and worried about missing a package.

The key defense is simple: slow down. Scammers create urgency to override your good judgment. They want you to act before you think. Remember that no legitimate package carrier will ever ask you to pay a fee or provide sensitive personal information through a text message. If something feels off, it almost certainly is.

Stay safe, stay skeptical, and always verify through official channels. The package can wait. Your bank account cannot.