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

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

"Your parcel is being held by UK customs. To release it, pay the outstanding import charge of £2.99 within 24 hours: [link]." It can arrive by text, WhatsApp, email or even a phone call, in the name of Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DHL, DPD, UPS, FedEx, "HMRC" or "UK Border Force". The amount is small and the story is believable, especially if you've ordered something from abroad. It's almost always a scam. The goal isn't those few pounds: it's your card details, and sometimes the code your bank texts you.

How does the customs fee scam work?

1. The message or call arrives, mentioning a parcel held at customs, unpaid "import duty", "VAT" or "customs clearance fees".
2. The amount is small: a couple of pounds, so you won't think twice.
3. The link takes you to a fake website imitating the courier or a government page, with logos and a fake tracking number.
4. They ask for your card details, and then the code your bank texts you "to confirm the payment".
5. They use your details to make much larger payments or to add your card to a mobile wallet. Your name and address are also reused in later scams.
6. By phone, a supposed "customs officer" or courier may ask for a payment by transfer or gift cards, or for your card details over the call.

Why is it so believable?

• Since Brexit, many people have discovered that parcels from abroad, including from the EU, can come with genuine import charges. That makes a customs message feel plausible.
• Online shopping is huge, so a large share of people really are expecting a parcel.
• Couriers do genuinely collect charges for import VAT and duty, which the scammers copy.
• The amount is tiny and the urgency is high: "your parcel will be returned to sender".

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

• Genuine charges are linked to your order. They come with a real tracking number that matches the one from the shop.
• Royal Mail and Parcelforce usually leave a card or send a notice explaining the fee, and the payment is made on their official website.
• Other couriers (DHL, UPS, FedEx, DPD) may contact you by text or email about import charges, but you can always check by going to their official website or app yourself and entering your tracking number.
• HMRC doesn't text you to pay customs charges on a parcel through a link.
• Fake messages use vague wording ("your parcel"), odd domains, and pressure.
• Know the rules. GOV.UK explains when tax and duty are due on goods from abroad, including the rules for gifts. If the "charge" doesn't fit, be suspicious.

What do I do right now?

1. Don't tap the link and don't reply.
2. If it's a call, hang up. Don't give your card details or personal information.
3. Check through the official channel yourself: the shop's order confirmation, the courier's official website or app, typed in by you, and the tracking number from your order.
4. Forward the text to 7726, free on most networks, as the NCSC explains. Messages using HMRC's name can be reported to HMRC as GOV.UK explains.
5. Block the number and report it in the spam numbers directory.

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

1. Call your bank straight away on 159 or the number on the back of your card and ask them to block the card. Tell them if you entered a texted code.
2. Ask them to dispute any payment you didn't authorise.
3. Watch your statements over the following weeks and turn on payment alerts.
4. Be wary of follow-up calls from your "bank's fraud team": fraudsters use the details you entered to sound credible. Hang up and call your bank yourself.
5. Report it to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101. For advice, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service.

Frequently asked questions

I'm expecting a parcel from outside the UK. How do I know whether the charges are real? Go to the courier's official website or app yourself, enter the tracking number from your order, and see whether any charge is shown. If there's a genuine charge, you'll be able to pay it there.

They called me and I gave my name and address, but not my card. Is that a problem? Not directly, but expect more scam attempts using those details. Be wary of calls or messages that already know your name or address.

Someone I met online sent me a gift and now customs is asking me for money. Is that normal? This is a classic romance scam pattern: the "gift" doesn't exist and the "customs" charges keep growing. Don't pay, and stop contact.

Can I complain if the bank won't refund me? Yes. Complain to your bank first; if you're not satisfied with its final response, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free.

In short

A message about a parcel held at customs with a link to pay is almost always a scam. Don't tap, check with your tracking number on the courier's official website, and if you've already paid, call your bank and block your card. And if one of these messages has reached you, report the number in the NoCall spam numbers directory: your warning could stop someone else from paying.