Have you received an email saying you have a Royal Mail parcel waiting, but you don’t remember ordering anything? Or a text message asking you to pay a shipping fee? These situations can be worrying and may mean someone is trying to scam you.
This guide explains how these scams work, how to recognise them and what to do if you think you’ve been targeted.
What’s a Royal Mail Scam?
There are a number of different ways scammers can do this, including:
- Delivery cards: ‘Royal Mail’ scam cards may be posted through your letter box, claiming you have a parcel at the depot that you need to reschedule delivery for, and that there is an unpaid fee to retrieve it.
- Text messages: Scammers may send SMS or WhatsApp messages suggesting you need to click a link to pay a shipping fee so your package can be delivered.
- Emails: These often imitate Royal Mail branding and communications. The scam email may claim your package couldn’t be delivered and ask you to click a link to rearrange delivery, or say that a payment is required before it can be released.
- Websites: Fake Royal Mail-style websites are sometimes used to trick people into entering personal or sensitive information, which is then harvested by scammers.
Royal Mail scams are becoming increasingly common as technology evolves. According to a 2025 TransUnion’s survey, around 70 per cent of UK consumers have been targeted by fake communications pretending to be trusted companies, with Royal Mail named as the most impersonated brand.
Knowing how to spot a parcel delivery scam makes a real difference. This guide will walk you through some of the most common Royal Mail scams, how to report them and what to do if you’ve been scammed, so you know where to turn and what steps to take.
What Are The Laws on Royal Mail Scams in the UK?
Royal Mail scams are treated as serious offences under UK law. Anyone pretending to be Royal Mail to deceive someone could be charged with fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006.
Some scams may also fall under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 if harmful software is involved, and the Data Protection Act 2018 if personal data is taken without permission.
Penalties can include prison sentences, fines and confiscation of assets. Even with strong laws in place, recovering money can be challenging, which is why many victims seek help from specialist fraud recovery teams like CEL Solicitors. Having legal support can make the process clearer and less overwhelming.
Tips For Recognising Royal Mail Scams
Knowing what to look out for can help you stay ahead of scammers.
Common Signs of Royal Mail Scams
Scammers can often make their messaging appear legitimate, mimicking official Royal Mail communications as best as possible.
However, even scammers make mistakes, and it’s those mistakes that we need to watch out for to distinguish a scam from an authentic message.
- Language: Messages like “your delivery will be cancelled” or urgent deadlines to pay shipping fees are designed to make you panic and then hand over information quickly. You should also be on the lookout for poor grammar and spelling, especially if combined with an inconsistent tone you wouldn’t expect from Royal Mail (e.g. too casual or aggressive).
- Mismatched branding: Look out for logos, colours or layouts that don’t match official Royal Mail communications. Scammers may also use formatting that looks unprofessional or poorly designed.
- Suspicious sender address: If you’ve received an email from ‘Royal Mail’, check the sender address carefully. Even small changes, such as ‘[email protected]’, are giveaways that it’s fraudulent.
- Fake payment links: Fraudsters can often send you to third-party sites to make payments for your parcel delivery, where they will harvest your personal information, so avoid clicking on suspicious links.
- QR codes: Similarly, if you’ve received a physical Royal Mail scam card, it may have a QR code on it, prompting you to navigate to the fake website to input your card details.
- Websites: There are also some websites that are imitating the Royal Mail Stamps and Collectables website, offering 20 – 60% off stamps. Some take payment and then send out fake stamps, while others harvest your personal details without sending any stamps at all.
For more specific examples, this Royal Mail scam examples page is really helpful to keep up-to-date with, as they’ll frequently update it with new and the most common scam tactics.
What Royal Mail Will Never Do
Royal Mail will never:
- Tell you to pay a redelivery fee by text or email
- Request your bank details, passwords or personal information via a link
- Send messages that pressure you with urgent warnings or threats to release or deliver a parcel
- Ask you to download attachments or files to “confirm” or “release” a delivery
- Direct you to suspicious or unofficial websites
If you’ve received ‘Royal Mail’ communications with any of the above, this is likely a targeted scam, and you should report it immediately.
Reporting Royal Mail Scams
If you think you’ve been targeted by a Royal Mail scam message, letter or website, the most important thing you can do is report it.
Royal Mail has a dedicated scam protection page, which tells you to report a suspected scam to [email protected].
By reporting any suspected scam attempts, you’ll be notifying Royal Mail of new circulating tactics that they can warn customers about, helping to prevent these scams from targeting people in the future.
If you’ve been scammed online, we’d also recommend that you:
- Run an anti-virus and anti-malware program on your computer or network (Malwarebytes is a good, free option)
- Clear the cookies in your browser
- Reset the password on your email account
You should also notify the UK government about scams and phishing attempts. GOV.UK provides clear instructions for forwarding suspicious emails or text messages, as well as information about how to report misleading advertisements or online fraud.
I’ve Been Scammed by a Royal Mail Scam – What Do I Do?
Whether it was through a fake delivery card, phishing email or a suspicious text message, if you’ve fallen victim to a Royal Mail scam, there are certain steps you can take to protect yourself.
1. Document the scam
If you believe you’ve been scammed by a Royal Mail fraudster, the first thing to do is to document the scam thoroughly.
This includes taking photographs of any Royal Mail delivery scam cards, screenshots of emails/text messages, screen shares, noting down email addresses, links, details about unusual attachments and any other concerning or suspicious communications.
Be sure to note down if you’ve revealed any sensitive information, such as bank details or financial information. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case will be for potential claims and investigations.
2. Secure Your Accounts
Next, it’s imperative that you thoroughly check and secure your accounts. Look for any communications you don’t recognise and, if you have revealed sensitive banking information, contact your bank directly.
They can help by raising a security concern on your account, keep an eye out for suspicious activity, and they may also issue a new card with fresh details.
The quicker you act, the less chance you have of the scammers gaining access to your personal information.
3. Report the scam
Finally, you can then report the scam to the relevant authorities or businesses. If you are looking to make a legal claim for financial loss to a Royal Mail scam, it’s crucial that you report the scam beforehand to:
- Royal Mail: Reporting the scam directly to the company that’s being impersonated (in this case, Royal Mail) is crucial, as their security team can investigate and implement extra security measures, ensuring no one else can be scammed in this way. You can email details of the scam to: [email protected].
- Your email: If the scam arrived by email, be sure to report it and flag it as phishing to your email provider (e.g. Gmail, Outlook).
- The authorities: If you live in England and Wales, report the scam to Action Fraud – the UK’s national centre for reporting cybercrime and fraud. You’ll then receive a police crime reference number, which can be used for recovery or legal claims.
Once you’ve documented the scam, reported it and secured your accounts, you can start looking at your options for getting your money back.
If the scammer can be identified and located, you may be able to bring a claim directly against them. This can help you recover your own losses and may also support action that protects other victims.
If the scammer cannot be identified, or if they are based outside the UK, you may still have a route to recovery. In many cases, it’s possible to pursue a claim against your bank and the scammer’s bank. Banks have a duty to put safeguards in place to spot suspicious activity, and in some situations, they should have detected the fraudulent payment before it was processed.
CEL Solicitors can guide you through this process and help you understand which route applies to your situation. You are not alone, and support is available at every stage.
Choosing CEL Solicitors for Royal Mail Scam Claims
We understand the emotional and physical distress that comes with being scammed – not to mention the impact this could have on your finances. That’s why we’re here to be the legal support you need by your side through every step of your claims journey.
Here at CEL Solicitors, our team specialise in fraud and scam recovery with a strong track record of recovering millions for clients.
We operate on a no-win, no-fee basis, meaning you won’t need to pay anything up front – giving you access to expert legal help you deserve without financial worry.
Our expert consultation is completely free – we’ll listen, review your situation carefully and provide clear advice on your next steps.
Ready to pursue your Royal Mail scam claim? Contact our team today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Call 0333 305 4982 for the support you deserve.
