The "Package Held" Text

Flggd Scam School · Delivery, Refund & Logistics Scams · Lesson 2 of 16

A text says your package is being held and a small fee will release it. If you're searching for the package held text scam, you've already spotted the trick: here's how it works.

The message looks like this

Why this is a scam

Carriers don't hold packages hostage over tiny fees. If postage were really short, the package goes back to the sender or arrives with a note. Nobody texts you a payment link.

The $1.95 is not the point. The payment page collects your card number, and that card number is the prize. Some victims see small "test" charges within hours, then much larger ones.

The fee is kept small on purpose. A tiny number feels harmless, so people pay without checking.

Red flags checklist

• A fee is demanded by text to "release" a delivery.

• The link is not usps.com: extra words like "parcel-release" give it away.

• A deadline pushes you to pay within hours.

• The message names no sender, no contents, and no real tracking number.

• It came from a short code or number you don't recognize.

The manipulation tactic

Low stakes plus urgency. The fee is small enough to feel safe, and the deadline stops you from thinking it through.

What to do, and what not to do

• Don't pay. Real carriers never collect fees through text links.

• Check any order directly with the store you bought from.

• Track packages only on the carrier's real site, typed in by you.

• Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), then delete it.

• If you already paid, call your card company and ask for a replacement card.

Not sure about a message you've received? Check it in seconds with the free Flggd app.