Medium riskDelivery

Missed Delivery Card Scam

In this scam, a fake 'sorry we missed you' card is left at your door asking you to call a premium-rate number or visit a website to arrange redelivery, charging high call fees or phishing your details.

Quick verdict

Risk level
Medium risk
Scam type
Delivery impersonation (physical card)
Main red flag
A delivery card with an unfamiliar premium number or website to arrange redelivery.
What to do first
Do not call the number; check the parcel via the courier's official tracking.

Understanding this scam

In this scam, a fake 'sorry we missed you' card is left at your door asking you to call a premium-rate number or visit a website to arrange redelivery, charging high call fees or phishing your details.

Delivery scams (a form of smishing) impersonate couriers with a believable small problem, an unpaid fee, a wrong address, a held parcel, timed to arrive when you might be expecting something. The link leads to a cloned courier site that harvests your card details and a bank one-time code.

If you take one thing from this guide, make it this: A delivery card with an unfamiliar premium number or website to arrange redelivery. Do not call the number; check the parcel via the courier's official tracking.

If your message looks slightly different, check the Fake Customs Fee Text or the Fake Delivery Text Scam, both are close cousins of this pattern. Every related guide lives in the Delivery & Postal Scams guides, and the scam checker can scan the text you received.

A typical example

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: A card reads, 'We missed you. To rearrange delivery call 09XX XXX XXXX,' a premium-rate line, or visit a non-official website that asks for payment.

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

The tell here: A delivery card with an unfamiliar premium number or website to arrange redelivery.

What the data shows

#2
fake package-delivery texts were the second most-reported text scam in 2022
Source: US Federal Trade Commission
$330M
reported lost to text-message scams in the US in 2022
Source: US Federal Trade Commission

Warning signs

  • A card with a premium-rate phone number
  • A website that is not the courier's official site
  • No tracking number or order you recognise
  • A request for payment or details to redeliver
  • Generic branding with no specific sender

Your safest response

  • Use the courier's official tracking and contact details
  • Verify any delivery with the retailer you ordered from
  • Avoid calling premium-rate numbers on unexpected cards
  • Report the fake card to the courier

If you have already engaged

  • Hang up if you called a premium number and check your phone bill
  • If you entered details online, treat it as phishing and secure those accounts
  • Contact your bank if you paid or shared card details
  • Report the fake card and any site

What to avoid

  • Do not call premium-rate numbers on delivery cards
  • Do not pay redelivery fees through an unofficial site
  • Do not assume the card is genuine without checking

You might also see

High risk Delivery

Fake Customs Fee Text

This scam texts that a parcel is held in customs and a fee is due, linking to a fake page that collects your card and personal details.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Delivery

Fake Delivery Text Scam

This scam impersonates a courier with a missed-delivery text and a link to a fake page that asks for a fee or your personal and card details.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Delivery

Address Confirmation Delivery Scam

This scam claims a parcel cannot be delivered until you 'confirm' or 'update' your address through a link, which leads to a page that collects your personal details and sometimes a small card payment.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Questions people ask

How do I check a 'missed delivery' card?
Use the courier's official tracking and contact details, and confirm with the retailer you ordered from, rather than calling a number printed on the card.
Why a premium-rate number?
Calls to premium lines generate money for the scammer through high per-minute charges, sometimes while keeping you on hold.
I called the number. What now?
Hang up, check your phone bill, and if you shared card or personal details, contact your bank and secure those accounts.
Are all delivery cards fake?
No, but verify through official channels. Premium numbers, non-official sites, and requests for payment are warning signs.

Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.