That text about your package is probably a scam

I see this one every week now.

You’re waiting on something from Amazon, a prescription, or a part you ordered. Then a text lands:

“USPS: Your package could not be delivered. Confirm your address here.”

Or UPS. Or FedEx. Or “Amazon delivery attempt failed—pay a $1.95 redelivery fee.”

It looks official. It feels urgent. That’s the whole trick.

Why it works

Most of us are expecting a box. Scammers know that. They send the same message to thousands of phones and wait for someone who happens to be waiting on a delivery.

The link does not go to UPS. It goes to a look-alike page that asks for a card, a login, or a “small fee.” Sometimes it tries to put junk on the phone.

You did not do anything dumb. The message was built to look like the real thing.

How to tell it’s fake in ten seconds

• You were not expecting a package, or the tracking number is not one you already have.
• It wants money, a card, or a login to “release” the shipment.
• The link is short and ugly, or the address is not exactly ups.com / usps.com / fedex.com / amazon.com.
• It says you must act right now or the package goes back.
• It came as a text or email you did not ask for.

Real carriers almost never collect a fee by text. If there is a problem, you will also see it when you open the app or website you already use.

What to do instead of tapping the link

1. Do not tap it.
2. Open the store or carrier the way you always do—Amazon app, UPS app, or type the address yourself.
3. Check tracking there.
4. If nothing is waiting, delete the text and mark it as junk.

If you already tapped it but did not type anything, close it and you are probably fine. If you entered a password, change that password on the real site. If you entered a card, call the number on the back of the card.

A Colorado-plain rule

If a message makes you hurry, slow down. The package will wait. The scam will not.

Same idea as the fake “your computer is infected—call this number” pop-up. Nobody you actually hired is texting you a surprise fee.

If you are not sure

Forward me a screenshot, or just call. I would rather look at a fake text for two minutes than unwind a card number later.