Fake Delivery Address Update and Redelivery Fee
An SMS says your parcel is on hold because the address is incomplete and asks for a small fee on a lookalike link. The link steals card details.
A text says your parcel could not be delivered because the address is incomplete, and you must update it and pay a Rs 25 or Rs 40 redelivery fee within a day. The message has a shortened link, a tracking-like code and a courier-style name. Many people have an order on its way, so the story is believable. The link opens a form that asks for card details, and the small fee hides a bigger loss.
How the scam works
The scammer sends the same text to thousands of numbers, relying on the chance that some recipients are expecting a parcel. The sender name is made to resemble a courier or postal service, and the link is shortened so the real address is hidden. It leads to a page that copies the look of a courier tracking site, with a logo, a reference number and a clear countdown.
The form asks for your name, address and a tiny fee. The amount is low on purpose, so you do not think twice. After the card number, expiry and CVV are typed, a second page asks for an OTP 'to verify'. That OTP authorises a larger payment, not Rs 25. In some versions the page also asks you to install a 'tracking app' file.
The payoff is the card data and the OTP, which are sold or used immediately for purchases or wallet top-ups. People often lose a few thousand rupees in minutes. The fake page then displays a success note and a fake tracking number, so you are unaware of the fraud until a bank message appears. Some pages even forward a real-looking confirmation email, so the victim assumes the parcel will arrive and delays checking the bank statement.
An example of what you may see
Example SMS (invented): 'Your parcel is on hold due to an incomplete address. Update details and pay a Rs 30 redelivery fee within 24 hours or it will be returned. Click the link to confirm.' The page then asks for your full card number, expiry date, CVV and the OTP. The link looks like a long random string of letters ending in a short code, not a courier's name. The page asks you to enter your card details to pay Rs 30.
This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.
Red flags
- The message asks for a fee to deliver a parcel you cannot clearly link to an order.
- The link is shortened or the address differs from the courier's real website.
- A tight deadline of a day is given before the parcel is 'returned'.
- A page that should take a small fee asks for the OTP, CVV or card PIN.
- The message has no order number you recognise, or a tracking code that does not work on the courier's app.
- You are asked to install a file or app to track the parcel.
What to do right now
- Check your orders in the shopping app, and track the parcel using the courier's own app or site typed by hand.
- Do not open the link or type any card detail.
- Delete the SMS after reporting the number in Sanchar Saathi under Chakshu.
- If you opened the page but entered nothing, close it and clear the browser history.
- Tell family members, who often receive the same text.
If you already paid or shared a code
- Call your bank through the number on your card and ask to block the card immediately.
- Call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in with the SMS and the page link.
- Check the card statement for other charges and tell the bank about each of them.
- Do not install any file the page offered; remove it if it was installed.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930. Report online at cybercrime.gov.in. Do it fast: the sooner your bank is told, the better the chance that money can be held.
Where this scam shows up
Read how it looks on each channel:
How Safeavio helps
Paste the SMS into Scam check in Safeavio Sentinel, or share it from your messages app, and it shows the reasons it looks risky, such as urgency and a fee request. Link check tests a link before you open it for lookalike domains and shortened links. Safeavio does not read your messages by itself and cannot confirm whether a real parcel is waiting for you.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions people ask
Do couriers charge a fee by SMS link for redelivery?
Be cautious. Genuine fees are explained in the courier's own app or on its official site. A message that rushes you to a link for a tiny payment is a well-known trick. If a fee is genuine, it will also show in the courier's app, where you can pay safely.
The fee is only Rs 30. Why worry?
The fee is bait. The page captures card data and an OTP that approves something larger. The small amount keeps you from thinking about the risk. The page's real aim is to capture card details and the OTP, which approves a larger payment.
How do I check a parcel safely?
Open your shopping app's order page or the courier's official app and type the tracking number there. Do not use a link from an unexpected message. If unsure, ask a family member or call the shop that sent the item using its official number.