USPS scams

Scammers send emails, texts and links that look like they come from USPS, to take your password, card details or money. Here is how to tell a fake from the real thing, and how to report one so it gets taken down.

Got a USPS message you are not sure about?

Don't click the link in it. Paste the link into ScamX and we'll tell you whether it really goes to USPS.

Check the link

The real USPS addresses

USPS's own sites end in:

  • usps.com

Read the address up to the first single slash: it must end with one of these. An extra word, a different ending or a shortened link means it is not USPS, however real the page looks. When in doubt, type the address yourself or use the USPS app.

What fake USPS messages look like

  • Unexpected texts saying a USPS delivery needs your action, with a strange link
  • Phone calls from scammers posing as USPS

What USPS says

  • USPS only texts or emails you if you asked for tracking with a tracking number, and those messages will not contain a link.
  • USPS does not charge for tracking.
  • If you're expecting a parcel, don't click; track it on usps.com.

How to report a USPS scam

  1. Tell the US Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of USPS. Paste the text of the message, add your name and a screenshot showing the sender and date: [email protected]. Or: Forward the text to your phone carrier: text 7726.
  2. Get the fake site taken down. Scan the link: the report names the company hosting it and the registrar of its domain, with a ready-written message for each.
  3. Put a warning in front of everyone else. Report the link to Google Safe Browsing and Microsoft SmartScreen.
  4. If you lost money or shared details, call your bank first, then report it to the police or your national fraud line. Where to report in your country.

USPS's reporting route checked against USPS's own page on 2026-10-10. ScamX is not affiliated with USPS.