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

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

"USPS: Your package from overseas is being held by customs. Pay $3.95 in import fees to schedule delivery." Or a call: "This is the customs office. A package in your name has been seized, and you must pay a fee to release it." If you've ordered something from abroad, it sounds plausible, especially now that more international packages owe duties. But this is one of the most common delivery scams. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) doesn't text you payment links, and the Postal Service doesn't ask for fees through links in unexpected texts. Check only through the official carrier tracking page with your real tracking number.

How does the customs fee scam work?

1. The message. A text, email, or call that seems to come from USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, or "customs." It says your package is held because of unpaid duties, an incomplete address, or a "customs inspection."
2. A small amount. Usually a few dollars, low enough that paying seems simpler than checking.
3. The link or the call. A page that copies the carrier's design, or a "customs agent" on the phone.
4. The goal. Your card number, expiration date, and security code, and sometimes a one-time code from your bank. With that, they make bigger charges or add your card to a digital wallet.
5. The phone variant. A caller claims your package contained drugs, cash, or fake passports and that you're under investigation unless you pay. That's a government impersonation scam.

Why is it so believable?

• Many people are waiting for packages, especially from online marketplaces abroad.
• Import duties are real, and rules on low-value international shipments have changed, so being asked to pay something doesn't sound strange.
• The amount is small, and the pages look professional.
• They use real carrier names and logos, and sometimes a fake tracking number.

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

• Real duties are collected by the carrier, not by CBP via text. With couriers like UPS, FedEx, or DHL, any duties or brokerage fees appear in your account or tracking page on their official site, linked to your real tracking number. With USPS, charges for international mail are handled through USPS itself.
• Use the tracking number from your order confirmation, not from the message, and look it up on the carrier's official website or app, which you open yourself.
• The sender's site or app usually shows whether duties were prepaid at checkout.
• USPS doesn't send texts or emails with links unless you signed up for tracking updates with a tracking number. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service explains this in its page on package tracking text scams.
• CBP doesn't call to demand payment for a seized package or to threaten you with arrest.

What do I do right now?

1. Don't tap the link and don't call any number in the message.
2. Check your real orders in the store's app and your tracking numbers on the carrier's official site.
3. If you're not expecting any package, it's a scam: delete the message.
4. Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block similar messages.
5. If someone calls claiming to be customs, hang up. Don't share personal information.

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

1. Call your card issuer immediately using the number on the back of your card. Block the card and dispute any charges.
2. If you entered a code from your bank, tell your bank: you may have approved a charge or added your card to someone else's wallet.
3. Check your statements in the coming weeks for unknown charges or subscriptions.
4. If you gave personal information (address, date of birth, ID), watch for identity theft and use IdentityTheft.gov if needed.
5. Report it (see below).

Frequently asked questions

I really did order something from abroad. How can I be sure? Look up your tracking number on the carrier's official site, which you open yourself. If duties are due, they'll show up there and you can pay through that official channel.

Can a package really be held for an unpaid fee? Yes, carriers can hold packages until duties are paid. The difference is how you're told and where you pay: real charges are linked to your tracking number on the official website, not to a link in a random text.

The text included my name. Doesn't that make it real? No. Names and phone numbers are easy to obtain from data breaches.

What about packages I never ordered that just show up? That can be "brushing," a different scheme where sellers send items to boost fake reviews. You're generally allowed to keep unordered merchandise, but be wary of any QR code inside or any request to pay.

Where do I report it?

• If it impersonates USPS, to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service through its reporting page.
• To the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• If you lost money, to the FBI's IC3.
• In NoCall, report the number in the spam numbers directory. There's more on delivery scams in our guide to fake package texts.

In short

Customs fees are real, but they're not paid through a link in an unexpected text. Check your tracking number on the carrier's official site, never tap links in delivery messages, and hang up on "customs agents" who call you. If you already paid, block your card. And report the number in the NoCall spam numbers directory to warn others.