UPS My Choice scams: how to spot the fake delivery text or email
Quick answer
A text or email that says a UPS package is waiting and asks you to click a link, pay a fee or confirm personal details is likely phishing. UPS says it doesn't ask for payments or personal information unprompted. Don't click: check tracking on ups.com yourself.
- Pretends to be
- UPS
- Last updated
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
How it works
Scammers pretend to be UPS, often using the name of its delivery-tracking service, UPS My Choice. You get a text or email saying a parcel is waiting, a delivery failed or an address needs confirming. UPS itself warns that fraudulent messages may claim a parcel is waiting to be delivered, and that links in them can carry malware or lead to a fake website.
The link opens a page made to look like UPS. It asks for a small redelivery fee, your card number, your login or your personal details. What they want is your payment details, your account passwords or enough personal information to steal your identity.
The FTC describes the same pattern across phishing messages: they tell a story (a problem with your account, a payment that's due) to get you to click a link or open an attachment. UPS says it doesn't ask unprompted for payments, personal or financial information, account numbers, IDs or passwords.
Sources checked: consumer.ftc.gov, ups.com
Last verified against the official page:
Red flags
- A text or email about a package you weren't expecting
- A link to pay a small fee for redelivery or customs
- A request to confirm your card number, password or ID
- A generic greeting and a tight deadline
- A sender address or link that isn't UPS's own
- A message from a number or address you've never seen in your real UPS notifications
Example message
UPS: Your package was not delivered because the address is incomplete. Confirm your details and pay the redelivery fee within 24 hours at [link] or it will be returned.
What to do
- 1
Don't click, and check tracking yourself
If you're expecting a parcel, type the UPS website address into your browser or use the tracking number from your order. The FTC advises contacting a company with a phone number or website you know is real, not the details in the message.
- 2
Report the message, then delete it
Forward phishing texts to 7726 (SPAM) and phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org. Also report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- 3
If you entered card details, call your card issuer
Use the number on the back of your card. Tell them you gave your details to a scammer and ask about blocking the card and disputing any charges.
- 4
If you entered a password, change it
Change that password everywhere you use it and turn on multi-factor authentication for important accounts.
- 5
If you shared your Social Security number or ID details
Go to IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC will give you specific steps based on what you gave away.
- 6
If you clicked a link or opened an attachment
Update your security software, run a scan and remove anything it flags, as the FTC advises.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers need your phone number or email, and a believable story. They get contact details from data brokers and people-search sites, and from breaches. Some messages are sent to thousands of numbers at once, so a text that names a carrier you really use is often luck.
Serus finds the data brokers and people-search sites that list your details and sends the removal requests. It also monitors breach databases and alerts you when your data appears. Fewer places holding your number means fewer scammers can reach you. Read how people-search sites get your data.
More UPS scams
Frequently asked
Is UPS My Choice a scam?
No. UPS My Choice is UPS's own delivery service. Scammers copy its name in fake texts and emails, so the company is the one being impersonated.
Will UPS text me asking for a payment?
UPS says it doesn't request payments, personal or financial information, account numbers, IDs or passwords in an unsolicited way. If a message asks for that, don't use its link.
What if I clicked the link but entered nothing?
The FTC says to update your security software and run a scan if you think you downloaded something harmful. If you entered nothing, report the message and delete it.
Where do I report a fake UPS text?
Forward it to 7726 (SPAM), then report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
