How to Spot a Fake Delivery Text Scam in Canada (and What to Do If You Tapped the Link)

A text arrives saying your parcel is held at a depot, or that a small customs fee is due before delivery. It looks like it comes from Canada Post, UPS, FedEx or Amazon. In most cases, it is a scam. Fake delivery texts are one of the most common frauds in Canada, and they work because they arrive when many of us are genuinely waiting for a parcel. This guide shows you how to spot them in seconds, what to do instead, and how to recover if you already tapped the link.

Step 1: know the signs of a fake delivery text

Scammers copy the look of real courier messages, but the details usually give them away. First, check whether you are actually expecting a parcel. If you have not ordered anything and no one has sent you a package, a delivery text is almost certainly fake. Even if you are waiting for something, treat any surprise message with suspicion.

Look at the link. Real courier links point to the courier's own website, such as canadapost.ca, ups.com or fedex.com. Scam links often use a slightly altered address or a string of random characters. Never trust a link just because the message says it is from a courier.

Watch for pressure. Scam texts create urgency: pay a fee in the next few hours, confirm your address now, or the parcel goes back. Real couriers do not threaten to return a parcel over text within hours. Also look for small mistakes, awkward wording, or a sender number that is a long string of digits. Couriers send service messages from short codes or verified sender names, not from a random phone number.

Finally, remember that Canada Post does not send text messages asking you to click a link and pay a fee to release a parcel. If a text asks for payment, credit card details or a password, it is not from Canada Post.

Step 2: check the delivery the safe way

If the message might be real, do not tap the link. Instead, open the courier's own app on your phone, or type the courier's website address into your browser yourself. Sign in or enter your tracking number there. That is the only safe way to check a delivery.

If you ordered the item, go back to the shop or marketplace where you bought it and check the tracking link in your order confirmation email. If the courier's own site shows no delivery problem, the text was fake.

If you still feel unsure, call the courier using the number on its official website. Do not call any number printed in the suspicious text.

Step 3: report the scam text

Reporting a fake delivery text takes less than a minute and helps protect other Canadians. Forward the message to 7726, which spells SPAM on a phone keypad. Most Canadian carriers support this, and it sends the message to a shared spam reporting service that carriers and authorities use to track fraud.

You can also report the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, at 1-888-495-8501 or through its website. Include the phone number the text came from, the link, and what the message claimed.

After reporting, delete the message from your phone. Blocking the sender number is useful too, though scammers change numbers often, so blocking alone is not enough.

Step 4: what to do if you already tapped the link

If you tapped the link but entered nothing, you are probably fine. Close the page, delete the message, and do not return to the site. If you entered personal details, a password or card information, act quickly.

First, if you entered a password, change it right away, and change the same password anywhere else you used it. If you entered card details, call your bank or card issuer. They can watch for suspicious charges, cancel the card and issue a new one. If money has already left your account, report it to your bank and to your local police, as well as to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Second, if you downloaded an app or a file from the link, delete it and run a security scan on your phone. On iPhone, check Settings for any new profiles under General, then VPN and Device Management, and remove anything you do not recognise. On Android, check Settings, then Apps, for anything installed around the same time, and uninstall it.

Third, keep an eye on your accounts for the next few weeks. Check your bank statements and your email for password reset messages you did not request. If you are worried about identity theft, you can place a fraud alert with Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada, the two credit bureaus.

Step 5: set up habits that stop the next scam

A few small habits make these scams much less likely to catch you. Turn on delivery notifications in the apps of the couriers and shops you actually use, so real updates come through a channel you trust instead of random texts. Save the tracking numbers of parcels you are expecting, so you can check them directly.

Keep your phone's software up to date, since updates often include better spam filtering. Most phones can also filter unknown senders: on iPhone, turn on Filter Unknown Senders in Messages settings, and on Android, turn on spam protection in the Messages app.

Finally, talk about it. Fake delivery texts succeed because they look routine. If a parent, grandparent or friend gets one, the best protection is knowing in advance that couriers do not text payment links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Canada Post send text messages about deliveries?

Canada Post can send delivery notifications if you signed up for them, but it does not send texts asking you to click a link and pay a fee to release a parcel. Any message demanding payment by link is a scam.

What should I do with a suspicious delivery text?

Do not tap the link. Check your parcel through the courier's own app or website using your tracking number. Forward the message to 7726 to report it, and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

I entered my card details on a fake delivery site. What now?

Call your bank or card issuer right away and ask them to cancel the card and watch for fraud. Change any passwords you entered, check your statements, and report the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and your local police. Consider a fraud alert with Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada.