SMS about a parcel, a fine or a tax: how to spot a phishing link
"Your parcel is on hold", "you have an unpaid fine", "pay 2 złoty extra for delivery". Messages like these lead to fake payment pages. We explain how to recognise them and where to report them.
Phishing is an attempt to get your card details or passwords through a fake page. Most often the link comes by SMS, in a messenger app or by email.
Typical messages
- "Your parcel cannot be delivered. Confirm your address and pay the extra delivery fee".
- "You have an unpaid fine. Pay today or the amount will increase".
- "You are due a tax refund, get it using this link".
- "Your account will be blocked, confirm your details".
- "Pay your electricity bill or we will cut you off tonight".
The amount is usually small, 1–3 dollars or euros, so that you do not think twice. But on the fake page you enter your full card details, and the scammers take much more money or link your card to their own phone.
How to spot a fake
- the website address is different from the real one: extra letters, hyphens, a strange ending (for example, "-dostavka.top" instead of the official domain);
- the message scares and rushes you: "today", "final warning";
- you did not order anything, or you are not expecting a parcel from this service;
- the page asks for your CVV code, an SMS code or your bank password.
What to do
- Do not open the link.
- If you are not sure, open the official app or website of the service yourself and check there.
- Report the fraud to the police and the relevant authorities in your country.
- Delete the message.
If you have already entered your card details
Block your card at once in your banking app, call your bank using the number on the back of the card and check your recent transactions. If you entered the password for any account, change it and turn on two-factor authentication.
You can check the number the message came from and add it to our [registry](/).