UPS Ground text scam: how to spot the fake delivery message
Quick answer
A text saying your UPS Ground package is held, delayed or needs a fee, with a link, is a common scam. Scammers pretend to be UPS. Don't tap the link. Check the order with the seller, or track it on ups.com yourself, and report the text to 7726 and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- 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 send texts and emails that look like a UPS delivery notice. The wording varies: a package is on hold, an address is incomplete, or a small redelivery fee is due.
The link goes to a fake page built to look like UPS. There it asks for your card details, login or personal information, or it tries to install malware. UPS says fraudulent messages can contain malware or send you to a fraudulent website, and that it doesn't ask for payments, account numbers, IDs or passwords in unsolicited messages.
The FTC describes the same pattern for delivery texts in general: an unexpected message about a package you may not even be waiting for. The goal is your money or your logins, and a fee of a few dollars is often just a way to capture your card number.
UPS is the company being copied here. It isn't behind these messages.
Sources checked: ups.com, consumer.ftc.gov
Last verified against the official page:
Red flags
- A text or email about a package you didn't expect, or from a sender you've never dealt with
- A link, not a tracking number you can look up yourself
- A fee for redelivery or customs, or a request for card details
- Pressure to act within hours or the package is returned
- A link that doesn't start with https://www.ups.com
- A request for a password, ID or account number
Example message
UPS Ground: Your package could not be delivered because the address is incomplete. Update your details within 24 hours to avoid return: [link]
What to do
- 1
Don't tap the link or reply
Don't call a number in the message either. If the package might be real, check the order on the seller's website or track it on ups.com by typing the address into your browser yourself.
- 2
Report the text
Forward it to 7726 (SPAM) and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then delete it. UPS also asks you to report fraudulent messages through its fraud page.
- 3
If you entered card details, call your bank
Use the number on the back of your card. Ask them to block the card and dispute any charges.
- 4
If you entered a password or personal details
Change that password and any account that shares it. If you gave your Social Security or bank account number, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan, and check your credit reports for signs of identity theft.
- 5
If you tapped a link and something may have installed
Update your device's security software, run a scan and remove anything it flags.
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
Mass delivery texts go to numbers in bulk, but the better-targeted ones use your name, address or a recent order. Scammers can pull those from people-search sites and breach data. Serus finds the data brokers that list your phone number and address where you live and removes you from them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
More UPS scams
Frequently asked
Is the UPS Ground text a scam?
A text with a link that asks for a fee or personal details almost always is. UPS says it doesn't ask for payments or personal information in unsolicited messages, and tells you to open the real site yourself instead of using the link.
What if I really am waiting for a UPS package?
Check the order on the seller's site or track it on ups.com in a new browser window. If you're still unsure, contact UPS through a website you know is real, not the contact details in the text.
I tapped the link but entered nothing. Am I OK?
Probably, but the FTC advises updating your security software and running a scan in case something installed. Don't enter anything on that page.
Where do I report a fake UPS text?
Forward it to 7726, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and use the reporting options on UPS's fraud page.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
