Fake delivery / delivery-fee scam: how it works, warning signs and what to do

Payment fraud · médio

The victim gets an SMS, WhatsApp message or email saying their parcel is held or has an incomplete address, with a link to pay a small fee or "import duty".

The link leads to a site mimicking the postal service or a courier that harvests card details or generates a Pix to the scammer.

In the in-person version, a fake courier delivers a "gift" and charges a "fee" on a terminal with a damaged screen, entering a much larger amount or swapping the card.

Sinais / Signs

Held-parcel message you weren't expecting.
Shortened link or domain resembling the postal service or courier.
Small fee with a short deadline ("pay today or it will be returned").
Courier asks for payment at the door for a "gift".
Card terminal with a broken or covered screen.

Prevenção / Prevention

Track parcels only on the official site or app, typing the code yourself.
Don't click links in delivery text messages.
Refuse to pay couriers for parcels you didn't order.
Check the amount on the terminal screen before entering your PIN.
Use a virtual card for online purchases.

O que fazer / What to do

Call your bank right away using the official number (back of the card or in the app) and ask to block cards, accounts and access.
If you paid via Pix, ask your bank to open a MED (Special Return Mechanism) claim as soon as possible — time matters because funds move fast.
File a police report (many Brazilian states accept online reports) and keep screenshots, receipts, numbers and links.
Report the SMS to your carrier and the fake site to CERT.br.
In the US, report to the FBI IC3 (ic3.gov) and the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov); if your identity was misused, follow the plan at identitytheft.gov.

FAQ

I got a postal-service SMS asking for a fee. Is it a scam?

Most of the time, yes. Check the parcel on the official site by typing the tracking code, without clicking the link.

Which channel do scammers use most?

In the US, the FTC says text messages are the most common contact method, while social media causes the highest losses (source: PYMNTS on 2025 FTC data).

CERT.br — Cartilha de Segurança para Internet · APWG Year in Review — scams via social media, SMS, email and QR · PYMNTS — Consumer fraud losses quintupled since 2020, FTC says · FTC — ReportFraud · FBI IC3 — Internet Crime Complaint Center