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Phishing CASE-2026-0001

Customs payment text demands $3.99 to release delivery

A delivery-hold SMS asks for a small customs payment and routes the target to a lookalike shipping page.

First reported May 9, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026

Phishing scam illustration

⚡ The 30-second version

How it arrives: A text, email, or website that looks like a company you know.

If you see any of these…

  • A link that almost matches the real address — but not quite
  • A small fee, 'verification,' or login request out of nowhere
  • Urgency: act now, package on hold, account suspended

…do this now

  1. Don't tap the link. Go to the company's real site or app yourself.
  2. If you entered a password or card number, change it and call your bank now.
  3. Delete the message and report it below — it helps warn the next person.

How this scam works

The message arrived as a short shipping notice. It claimed a package was held because of unpaid customs or postage and told the recipient to pay a small fee before a deadline. The amount was low enough to feel routine. The link used delivery language but did not point to an official USPS, FedEx, DHL, or retailer domain. The script works because it makes the payment feel smaller than the risk of losing the package. After the click, the page asks for name, address, card number, and sometimes phone or email confirmation. The card data becomes the real target. Red flags: an unsolicited delivery text, a shortened or misspelled domain, a tiny fee, and pressure to act from the message itself. Check delivery status only through the retailer account or the carrier site you type yourself. Forward unwanted texts to 7726 and report the fraud trail.

If this happened to you

First, take a breath. Being targeted is not your fault — these scammers do this all day, every day, and they are very good at it. Here's what to do next:

  1. Stop contact and don't send any more money or information.
  2. If money or an account is involved, call your bank or card company right away.
  3. Report it — it helps protect others: tell us here and file with the FTC ↗.
  4. Tell someone you trust. Talking about it openly takes away the scammer's biggest weapon: shame.

If you're feeling embarrassed or shaken, that's a completely normal reaction — and it passes. You're not alone, and help is free:

  • AARP Fraud Watch Helpline: 877-908-3360 — free to talk it through, even if you're not a member.
  • Recover your identity: IdentityTheft.gov ↗ — a free, step-by-step plan from the FTC.
Lost money to this? Get a free read from a licensed investigator — what's realistic, and what to do first. Start here →

Know someone who might fall for this?

Take two seconds to send it to them — forwarding a scam to the people you love is the easiest way to stop one before it starts.

We compile entries from the public source linked in the case facts. We don't publish private screenshots or message threads. If you report a new instance, please keep the original message, sender address, phone number, links, and any payment request.

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