Is this USPS text a scam?
Updated October 16, 2026 · 5 min read
If a text says USPS couldn’t deliver a package and asks you to tap a link, it is very likely a scam unless you asked USPS for tracking updates. The Postal Inspection Service says real tracking texts only follow a request you made and don’t contain links. Here is how to check, and what to do if you already tapped.
The short answer
According to the Postal Inspection Service, USPS sends tracking texts only after you ask for updates on a specific tracking number, and those messages do not contain a link. If you didn’t ask, and the text has a link, don’t click it. We can’t see your message, so no page can tell you for certain. If you’re unsure, don’t use the link: go to the company’s own app or website, or call a number you already trust.
What a fake USPS text usually looks like
- It reports a delivery problem you weren’t expecting and asks you to follow a link.
- It may ask for a small payment to rearrange delivery. The FTC says USPS doesn’t demand payment to redeliver a package.
- It comes from a normal phone number or email address, while USPS uses 5-digit short codes for tracking texts.
- The link goes to a look-alike website, not usps.com.
- It pushes urgency: act now or the package is returned.
What to do now
- Don’t tap the link or reply.
- If you’re waiting for a parcel, go to usps.com yourself and enter your tracking number.
- Report it: paste the text into an email to spam@uspis.gov (don’t click the link), with a screenshot showing the sender’s number and the date. You can also forward it to 7726.
- Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- Delete the text and block the number.
If you already tapped the link
- The Postal Inspection Service says that if you interacted with the page, even without pressing submit, you should tell your bank or card issuer.
- If you entered a card number, call the issuer now and ask for a new card.
- If you entered a password, change it everywhere you use it.
- Watch your accounts and credit reports for the next few weeks.
Check it again
You can also paste the message into our free scam text checker. It runs on your message and doesn’t store it. If a text claims to be from someone in your family, don’t rely on the wording. Ask them on their own phone: see how to check a caller is really your family member.
Frequently asked questions
Does USPS text me about packages?
Only if you requested tracking updates for a specific tracking number. The Postal Inspection Service says those texts don’t contain a link.
Where do I report a fake USPS text?
Email spam@uspis.gov with the message pasted in and a screenshot, forward the text to 7726, and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
I tapped the link but entered nothing. Am I safe?
USPS advises telling your bank even if you didn’t press submit. Change passwords if you typed any and watch your accounts.