How To Check If A Delivery Company Really Texted You
Verify tracking numbers on carrier sites yourself and spot suspicious delivery texts before you click.
Ignore the link in the text and check the tracking number yourself on the carrier site or app. Type usps.com, ups.com, or fedex.com yourself, then enter the number from your receipt or order page. Smishing means a text that pretends to be from a delivery company to get a click, payment, or personal details.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says an unexpected delivery text with a link fits that pattern when you did not request updates for that package, as explained in USPS guidance on package-tracking text scams.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 03, 2026.
What does a real carrier text look like?
Genuine USPS tracking texts are opt-in only and do not contain links. A USPS-branded message with a tracking link you did not sign up for fails that check. FedEx says it does not ask for payment or personal information through an unsolicited call, text, or email to release goods in transit.
Treat any such payment or information request as a reason to stop and verify elsewhere. A UPS message about a package should include a tracking number you can check at ups.com. UPS says authentic UPS links start with https://www.ups.com or https://billing.ups.com, described in UPS guidance for fighting fraud.
How do you check without clicking?
Use the number, not the link. Keep the text open for reference, but do not tap, reply, or copy its web address into a browser. The Federal Trade Commission gives the same do-it-yourself check for spam texts in FTC guidance on recognizing spam texts.
- Find the tracking number from your own receipt, shipping email, or store order page.
- Type the carrier address yourself or open the carrier app.
- Enter the number there and read the status and delivery details.
- Continue only if carrier and retailer records match the same package.
Why can't you judge by how it looks?
Sender names and phone numbers can be faked. A message can show the right logo, spelling, and layout and still be unwanted. AI-written texts can also read cleanly, so clean writing proves nothing.
The Federal Communications Commission notes that visual cues such as spelling, padlocks, or logos do not prove a text is real, as explained in FCC guidance on smishing scams. Only out-of-band verification counts. That means a match inside the carrier system or retailer order history, reached without using the text link.
What should you do with a suspicious text?
If you are expecting a parcel, compare the text's tracking number with the retailer order page. If no order matches, do not engage further. Do not reply STOP to a suspicious delivery text because a reply can confirm that your number is active.
Delete the message and block the sender after you save any details needed for a report. Forward the text to 7726, use your messaging app's report-junk option, and file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Send USPS fakes to [email protected].