Parcel held at customs: the fake duty or fee payment by text or phone call

Parcel held at customs: the fake duty or fee payment by text or phone call

"Your parcel is being held by Australian Customs. Import duty of $4.50 is payable before release. Pay here within 48 hours or the item will be returned." Or a phone call from the "Border Force clearance team" saying a parcel in your name has been stopped and there's a fee to pay. With so much shopping from overseas, it sounds plausible. But most of these messages are scams, and genuine customs charges never come as a random text with a payment link.

How does the customs fee scam work?

1. The message. A text, email or WhatsApp claiming to be from the Australian Border Force (ABF), "Australian Customs", Australia Post or an international courier. A parcel is "held", "awaiting clearance" or "on hold for unpaid duty".
2. The small fee. A few dollars for duty, GST, "clearance" or "storage". Small enough not to question.
3. The link. A convincing copy of the courier's or government's website asking for your full card details, and then the one-time code your bank sends.
4. The bigger hit. With your card and code, scammers make larger purchases or add your card to their own digital wallet.

The phone version is darker: a caller says a parcel addressed to you contains drugs or fake passports and you're under investigation, then transfers you to a fake "police officer". That's the fake police scam, covered in our guides.

Why is it so believable?

• Lots of people are expecting parcels from overseas at any given moment.
• Customs charges are real for some imports, so the idea isn't absurd.
• The fees are tiny, which lowers your guard.
• The branding looks official: government crests, courier logos, tracking-style codes.

How do I tell a real customs charge from a fake one?

• GST on most low-value goods is already collected when you buy. For most goods worth A$1,000 or less bought from overseas online stores, GST is usually charged at checkout, so there's normally nothing to pay on arrival.
• Higher-value imports go through a formal process. Goods over that threshold generally need an import declaration, and duty and taxes are paid through the official process, often with a customs broker or the courier handling it, with paperwork that matches your shipment.
• Genuine charges come with your tracking number and through the courier's official app or account, not through a random text.
• The ABF doesn't text you a link to pay for a parcel. If in doubt, check information directly on the ABF website.
• Australia Post says it will never call, text or email you asking for payment or for personal or financial information such as passwords or card details.

What do I do right now?

1. Don't tap the link or call the number in the message.
2. Track your parcel yourself using the tracking number from the shop, in the courier's official app or website, typed in yourself.
3. If there's a genuine charge, it will show there, with your shipment details.
4. Contact the seller if you're unsure: they can tell you how the parcel was shipped and whether any charges apply.
5. Report the message. Forward fake Australia Post messages to [email protected], report the sender to your phone provider, and report the number in the spam numbers directory.

What if I've already paid or given my card details?

1. Call your bank immediately on the number on your card or in its app and ask them to block the card. If you entered a one-time code, tell them: a transaction may already be approved.
2. Watch your transactions closely over the following weeks.
3. If you gave personal or identity details, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 for free help.
4. Report it to Scamwatch and, if you lost money, to police through ReportCyber via the AFP's cybercrime page.

Frequently asked questions

I'm expecting a parcel from overseas. How do I know whether the charges are real? Check your tracking in the courier's official app or website, and your order details with the shop. For most low-value goods, GST was already charged when you paid. Genuine charges for higher-value items come through the official process with documents for your shipment.

They called me and I gave them my name and address, but not my card. Is that a problem? Not immediately, but expect more scam attempts. Be wary of follow-up calls, texts or emails, and don't confirm any other details.

Someone I met online sent me a gift and now customs wants money. Is that normal? No. That's a classic sign of a romance scam: the "gift" doesn't exist and the "customs fee" goes straight to the scammer. Our guides cover romance scams in detail.

Can I complain if the bank won't refund me? Yes. Complain to your bank first; if you're not satisfied, you can take it to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), which is free.

In short

A text or call demanding a small customs fee through a link is almost always a scam. GST on most low-value goods is paid at checkout, and genuine charges come through the courier's official channels with your tracking number. Don't tap, check your tracking yourself, and call your bank if you've entered your card. And report the sender in the NoCall spam numbers directory.