Why Do Scammers Send Fake Christmas Delivery Alerts?
Learn how fake delivery texts work and the quick check that keeps your parcels and card details safe.
Scammers send fake Christmas delivery alerts because holiday shoppers expect many parcels. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says that expectation makes a delivery-problem text look plausible and prompts quick clicks (2025 holiday campaign).
Smishing means phishing by text message. These holiday texts copy a carrier notice and press you to fix a missed delivery fast.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 02, 2026.
What does a fake alert look like?
The message claims a package cannot be delivered and needs your action. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says these texts impersonate USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL or Amazon (smishing guidance).
The text includes a link to a look-alike site. That site asks for an address, password or card details plus a small redelivery fee.
Why does Christmas make the trick stronger?
December brings more parcels, more delivery updates and less time to check each one. CISA warns the holiday shopping season favors fake websites, malicious links and charity lures because shoppers are rushed and distracted. Volume also helps the trick blend in.
The Federal Trade Commission found fake package-delivery notices were the most-reported text scam in 2024, with $470 million reported lost to text scams overall, over five times the 2020 total (April 2025 Data Spotlight).
What happens if you click?
Clicking the link or opening an attachment exposes sensitive details. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said in December 2024 guidance that criminals can steal credit-card or Social Security numbers and install malware on the device.
Anyone waiting for a parcel can receive one. The FBI Birmingham field office tied the wider holiday non-delivery and non-payment category to over $785 million in 2024 victim losses, plus $199 million in credit-card fraud. Those totals still miss many cases.
The Federal Trade Commission notes its text-scam loss totals count only fraud reports that named text as the contact method, so unreported payments and unreported attempts are missing.
How should you check a delivery text?
If a delivery text is unexpected, do not click or reply. Open the carrier app you already use or type the carrier site address yourself and enter the tracking number there. Save the suspicious text for reporting.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service advises forwarding the text to 7726 and reporting it to ReportFraud.ftc.gov or [email protected] (2025 holiday campaign).