"We Missed Your Delivery": Fake Courier SMS Phishing Is Increasingly Targeting Older Adults
SMS messages impersonating courier companies are directing recipients to fake redelivery pages that harvest personal and card details — and older adults are especially affected.
How it works
Scammers impersonate a real courier company, sending an SMS claiming a delivery was missed and that the package will be returned unless action is taken today. The included link leads to a convincing fake redelivery page that asks for name, address, and phone number — and, under the guise of a "verification fee," credit card details.
Why older adults are disproportionately affected
- Everyday words like "package," "missed delivery," and "today" create urgency without raising immediate suspicion
- Frequent online shoppers are less likely to find the scenario itself implausible
- Mobile browsers often truncate URLs, making it harder to spot a fake domain
Warning signs
- A notification from a courier you didn't actually order from
- No tracking number or sender information included
- The domain doesn't match the courier's official site (subtly misspelled names, unfamiliar extensions)
- The redelivery process asks for credit card information — legitimate redelivery requests never do
How to protect yourself
- Don't tap links in the SMS — check directly through the courier's official app or website instead
- When in doubt, ask a family member before doing anything
- Enable your carrier's spam SMS filtering
- If you already entered card details, contact your card issuer immediately to suspend the card
Where to report
If you've been affected, contact your local police or a consumer protection hotline.