Christmas delivery scams 2026 are already reaching UK phones as online shopping builds towards Black Friday on 27 November, with fake parcel texts claiming a missed delivery, an unpaid customs fee or a failed address check and directing people to imitation courier websites. Delivery scams were the most common type of fraud attempt in the second quarter of 2026, seen by 63% of people according to the Virgin Media O2 Scam Index, ahead of online shopping scams at 58%. Suspicious texts can be forwarded free of charge to 7726, and anyone who has lost money should contact their bank immediately and report it to Report Fraud, the national service that replaced Action Fraud in December 2025, on 0300 123 2040 or at reportfraud.police.uk, as the Westminster newsroom of The WP Times reports.
The scale of the problem is reflected in industry data. UK Finance recorded a record 4.06 million confirmed fraud cases in 2025 and total payment fraud losses of £1.28bn, while authorised push payment fraud, where victims are tricked into sending money themselves, rose 19% to £576.4m. Purchase scams made up 71% of those cases, and two thirds of authorised push payment cases began on online platforms. Parcel scams work because they are cheap to send and easy to believe at a time when many households are expecting deliveries. Criminals send thousands of texts a day in what fraud teams call a spray and pay approach, often asking for a redelivery fee of £1 or £2 in order to capture card details and personal data. Couriers including Evri have stated that they never charge a redelivery fee, and the safest response to any unexpected link is not to click it, but to check the delivery directly with the retailer or courier.
How Christmas delivery scams 2026 work
Most Christmas delivery scams 2026 follow the same pattern. A message appears to come from a well-known courier or from Royal Mail, it creates a small sense of urgency, and it links to a website designed to look genuine. The real aim is to collect card details, passwords or personal information that can be used for larger frauds later.
The most common fake messages
| Message type | Typical claim | What the criminals want |
|---|---|---|
| Missed delivery | A parcel could not be delivered and needs rebooking | a small payment and card details |
| Customs or duty fee | A charge must be paid before release | card details and personal data |
| Address problem | The address is incomplete and must be confirmed | name, address, date of birth |
| Tracking update | A link to follow a parcel | clicks on malicious websites |
| Held parcel | A parcel will be returned unless action is taken | urgent payment |
Why small fees are so effective
A request for £1 or £2 seems too small to be dangerous, which is why it works. Once the card number, expiry date and security code have been entered on a fake page, criminals can use them for larger purchases or sell them on. The personal details collected at the same time can then be used for follow-up calls in which fraudsters pretend to be from the victim's bank.
The National Cyber Security Centre has also warned that some fraudulent links can install malicious software on phones, which is a further reason never to open links in unexpected delivery messages.
The scale of fraud in the UK
Christmas delivery scams 2026 are part of a wider rise in fraud. The latest annual report from UK Finance, the banking trade body, shows that the number of confirmed cases reached a record in 2025, even though banks stopped a significant share of attempted fraud.
Key figures for 2025
- Total payment fraud losses: £1.28bn, up 4% on the previous year.
- Confirmed fraud cases: a record 4.06 million, up 11%.
- Unauthorised fraud, mainly card fraud: £703.4m, down 5%.
- Authorised push payment fraud: £576.4m, up 19%.
- Purchase scams: 71% of authorised push payment cases.
- Online platforms: the starting point for 66% of authorised push payment cases, with 17% beginning through telecoms.
What the scam data shows
According to the Virgin Media O2 Scam Index for the second quarter of 2026, delivery scams were the most widely seen scam type, followed by online shopping scams, account suspension scams and banking scams. The network reported blocking 16.8 million scam texts and flagging 259 million calls over three months.
Evri recorded 10,000 cases of delivery-related fraud between November 2024 and January 2025, a period that covers the peak of the Christmas shopping season. Similar pressure from Christmas delivery scams 2026 is expected this winter as parcel volumes rise.
"We will never charge a re-delivery fee."
(Lee Howard, head of information security and information risk at Evri, quoted by GB News, December 2025)
How to spot a fake parcel text
No single feature proves that a message is fake, but several warning signs together should raise doubts. The most important rule against Christmas delivery scams 2026 is simple: if in doubt, do not click.
Warning signs
- You were not expecting a delivery from that courier, or the message does not name the retailer.
- The message asks for a payment, even a small one, to release or redeliver a parcel.
- The link uses an unusual web address that does not match the courier's official site.
- The text comes from an ordinary mobile number rather than a recognised sender name.
- The wording is urgent, threatening to return or destroy the parcel within hours.
- The page asks for more information than a delivery needs, such as a date of birth or full card details.
How to check a delivery safely
Instead of using the link in a message, go directly to the retailer's website or app and check the order. The retailer will show which courier is handling the parcel and provide a genuine tracking number.
Couriers' own apps and websites, opened by typing the address yourself, are the safest way to follow a delivery. If a card has really been left, the details on it can be checked against the courier's official contact channels.
What to do if you have clicked a link or paid
Acting quickly reduces the damage from Christmas delivery scams 2026. Banks can often stop payments or block cards if they are told straight away, and reporting helps the police and mobile networks to identify the criminals.
Immediate steps
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You entered card details | Call your bank using the number on the back of your card and ask for the card to be blocked |
| You sent money | Contact your bank immediately and ask about recovery and reimbursement |
| You entered a password | Change it at once and switch on two-step verification |
| You downloaded something | Disconnect from the internet and seek help from your phone provider or a trusted expert |
| You received a scam text | Forward it to 7726, then delete it |
Reporting the fraud
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, fraud and cyber crime are reported to Report Fraud, the service run by the City of London Police, which went live on 4 December 2025 and replaced Action Fraud, as confirmed in a government announcement. Reports can be made online at reportfraud.police.uk or by phone on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, fraud is reported to Police Scotland on 101.
Victims of authorised push payment fraud may be entitled to reimbursement from their bank under mandatory rules introduced by the Payment Systems Regulator. According to UK Finance, banks refunded £354.3m to victims in 2025, around 61% of losses.
Shopping safely before Christmas
Delivery scams are only one part of the risk. Fake online shops and social media adverts for heavily discounted goods also peak around Black Friday and in December.
Practical rules for online shopping
- Buy from retailers you know, and research unfamiliar sites before ordering.
- Be cautious of deals on social media that look far cheaper than elsewhere.
- Pay by credit card where possible, as it offers extra protection on many purchases.
- Avoid paying by bank transfer to sellers you do not know.
- Use strong passwords, such as three random words, and switch on two-step verification.
- Keep a note of what you have ordered and from whom, so that unexpected delivery messages stand out.
Protecting older relatives
Older people and those less used to online shopping are frequently targeted. A short conversation about the warning signs, and an agreement to check any unexpected payment request with a family member first, can prevent losses.
Phone providers can also help by switching on scam call and text filters where available. For more shopping advice, read our guide to new EU customs rules for shoppers.
Christmas delivery scams 2026: questions and answers
Where do I forward a scam text
Forward it free of charge to 7726, which works on all major UK mobile networks, then delete it.
Does Evri charge a redelivery fee
No. Evri has said that it never charges a redelivery fee, so any message asking for one should be treated as a scam.
What replaced Action Fraud
Report Fraud, run by the City of London Police, replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025. The phone number, 0300 123 2040, stayed the same.
What should I do if I paid a fake delivery fee
Call your bank straight away using the number on your card, ask for the card to be blocked and report the fraud to Report Fraud.
How common are delivery scams
They were the most commonly seen scam in the second quarter of 2026, encountered by 63% of people according to the Virgin Media O2 Scam Index.
Background: from Action Fraud to Report Fraud
Action Fraud was for many years the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It was replaced in December 2025 by Report Fraud, which includes a new contact centre, an online reporting tool, a national crime analysis service available to all police forces and a specialist victim service.
For related consumer coverage, read our reports on Pension Credit 2026, pension inheritance tax planning and online dating in the UK.
Sources used: UK Finance, Virgin Media O2, Evri, GB News, National Cyber Security Centre, City of London Police, Report Fraud, GOV.UK, Payment Systems Regulator, Police Scotland
