If you receive a call telling you there’s a problem with a package delivery, think twice before you answer any questions or press a button to get more information. Package delivery scams are among the most popular phone scams in many countries that Hiya tracks.
Fraudsters love to bait their victims with packages. Why? First of all, who doesn’t love to receive a package delivery? Second, most major package delivery companies are international, so fraudsters don’t have to change their scripts from country to country. There are FedEx scams in Canada, Royal Mail scams in the UK, UPS scams in the US, and Amazon delivery scams in the many countries where Amazon operates.
Here is an example of two package delivery robocalls captured in the Hiya honeypot, a collection of more than 100,000 Hiya-owned phone numbers used for identifying spam and scam calls:
“Fedex International Express will inform you for the last time that you have a parcel that has been delivered twice and no one has signed for it. For English inquiries, please press 1, and Chinese, please press 2.” (The Message repeats in Chinese.)
“Hello, this courtesy message is to inform you that we have had a failed delivery attempt to your last updated address, requiring your signature. You may reroute the service by calling back at any time and using your phone number for reference. We will only make one more attempt after this courtesy notification. Thank you.”
Data from Hiya’s Global Call Threat Report shows that package delivery scams commonly rank as one of the top five scams in the UK, Canada, Spain, and France. Hiya users report getting scam calls impersonating package delivery services such as FedEx, DHL, and UPS, and national postal services such as Canada Post, Royal Mail (UK), and the US Postal Service.
When do delivery scams hit their peak? If you guessed “during the holiday season,” you’d only be partially correct. Hiya’s data shows that delivery scams peak during the holiday season in the UK but are most common during the spring and summer in the US and Canada.
Below you’ll find more insight about package delivery scams in various countries.
FedEx, Canada Post scams big in Canada
In Canada, delivery scams peak in the spring and summer rather than during the holiday season. General delivery and Canada Post scams are the most common.
In addition to analyzing scam calls captured in the Hiya honeypot, Hiya also receives information about current scams from consumers using Hiya Protect via their device manufacturer and the Hiya mobile app. When users receive a suspected spam or scam call, they can tap a prompt on their phone to report it and can even leave a comment describing the call. Here is a sampling of delivery-related scam calls reported by users in Canada:
“Claiming to be FedEx. Failed attempt to deliver a parcel. I'm not expecting any parcels.”
“Claims to be Canada Post with missed delivery. Wants money to reschedule delivery.”
“Alleged Amazon delivery problem and credit card freeze.”
"Chinese/broken English regarding two FedEx parcels not signed. We get a lot of Chinese calls from Toronto & B.C. We have no Chinese ties whatsoever."
“Unsolicited automated call claims to be confirming a delivery without specifying a company or product – and I haven't ordered anything anyway!
Package delivery companies are aware that their brand name is being used to perpetrate scams, and they often advise customers on what to do if they suspect a fraudulent call or text.
The FedEx Canada website advises customers to ask the caller for the tracking number or invoice number and then call the FedEx customer service line at 800-463-3339 to confirm. Canada Post advises customers to call 866-607-6301 or visit canadapost.ca to check on the status of deliveries.
In the UK, fraudsters impersonate Royal Mail, UPS and Evri
In the UK, scams impersonating Royal Mail and UPS are popular.
According to research conducted by the non-profit group Citizens Advice, more than 40 million UK citizens were targeted in scams in the first half of 2023. “Parcel delivery scams are by far the most common scam faced by the public this year,” the group claims, based on a survey conducted on its behalf in May 2023. The survey found that just under half (49%) of British adults 18+ were on the receiving end of a malicious parcel delivery scam.
Hiya’s data shows that in the UK, scammers commonly impersonate the national postal service Royal Mail, but they also pretend to represent UPS, Evri, DHL, FedEx, and DPD.
Here’s a sampling of what Hiya users in the UK are reporting:
“Tried to get payment for redelivery for items from Evri.”
“Saying Royal Mail Express and that I have a delivery.”
“Claiming to be from DPD International and I needed to pay for a delivery.”
“Asked me if I can pay £600 for some delivery from Amazon. I told him I never order anything from Amazon. He asked me about my bank account.”
FedEx and UPS scams popular in the U.S.
The U.S. sees delivery scams impersonating FedEx, UPS, USPS, and DHL.
Just as we saw in Canada, parcel delivery scams in the US are more common in the spring and summer than during the holiday season. In fact, general delivery scams (where the name of the delivery service is not mentioned) trail off as the year goes on. Those general delivery scams are the most common, followed by FedEx, UPS, USPS (United States Postal Service) and DHL.
In December, the Better Business Bureau issued a Scam Alert warning consumers to be on the lookout for package delivery scams arriving by phone, text, or email. The alert stated:
If you call the number, the scammer will ask you to confirm your personal details, including your name, address, and possibly even your credit card information. If you don't remember ordering anything that needs to be delivered, the caller may try to convince you the package is a gift from a friend or relative. According to BBB Scam Tracker reports, the callers are often friendly and professional, making the scam harder to spot.
Here are some examples of parcel delivery scams, as reported by Hiya users in the US:
“Reportedly USPS, asking to verify address because package is stuck in warehouse.”
“Saying can't process DHL pick-up due to duty not paid. But I ordered nothing.”
“They're trying to deliver a package and wanted my address and social security number.”
“Automated Mandarin language message about the package on hold until I pay them the release fee.”
How to protect against package delivery scams
Scammers are constantly changing their tactics, and the only way to fight back is with a solution that adapts to ever-changing tactics.
For carriers, there’s Hiya Protect. It’s a complete call protection solution enables mobile network carriers to protect their subscribers by blocking fraud calls and labeling spam calls. Hiya Protect uses a proprietary multi-layer approach that analyzes the phone number, call characteristics, call recipient, and even the calling enterprise’s history across all numbers.
For enterprises, there’s Hiya Connect. Hiya Connect’s branded caller ID enables businesses to display their company name, logo, and reason for the call on the recipient’s mobile phone so customers can feel safe when they answer. It also offers a suite of analytics tools to help optimize call delivery.
For individuals, there’s the Hiya mobile app. It’s an excellent solution for individuals who use a phone carrier that doesn’t offer spam protection at the network level.
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