Fake Delivery Text Scams in Essex: What to Do and How to Help a Relative
Updated: Oct 26
Most of us get texts about parcels from couriers such as Royal Mail, DPD or Evri. Scammers copy them. A fake message says a delivery has failed or a small fee is due, and the link takes you to a copycat site that collects your card or bank details. This guide shows how to spot them and how to help an older relative who might be worried by one.
How delivery text scams work
The message might say "Your parcel could not be delivered", "Click here to reschedule" or "You have a missed delivery". The link leads to a site that looks like the courier's. A common version asks for a small "redelivery fee", often a pound or two. The fee is the bait: the real aim is your card details, which are then used for much larger payments.
How to spot a fake delivery text
You are not expecting a parcel.
The link looks odd or does not match the courier's real website.
It asks for payment or personal details through a link in a text.
It comes from an unknown mobile number rather than a named sender.
It creates urgency, such as "act now or your parcel will be returned".
Not every fake has spelling mistakes, so do not rely on that alone.
What to do
Do not click the link. If you think a parcel is genuinely due, go to the courier's website by typing the address yourself, or use their app.
Forward the text to 7726 (free). It helps networks block the sender. Then delete it.
If you clicked and entered card details, ring your bank straight away on 159, which connects you to your own bank, and ask them to block the card.
Report it at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
Watch for follow-up calls. Scammers sometimes ring afterwards pretending to be the bank. Hang up and ring 159.
Helping an older relative
It is normal to feel worried when one of these arrives, and anyone can be caught out. Agree an easy rule: if a text asks them to click or pay, they show it to you or a neighbour first. Looking at messages together now and then makes it easy for them to ask. And remember, real couriers do not ask you to pay through a text link.
If you would like regular company and a helping hand for a relative who lives alone, Essex Home Support offers home help and companionship across Essex. Call 07719 634112 for a free, no-obligation chat.
