An Post SMS Scam – Delivery Fee Fraud
High RiskOverview
A fraudulent SMS claims to be from An Post, asking recipients to pay a small fee (usually €1-3) to release a delivery. The link leads to a convincing fake An Post website designed to steal your card details. This is one of the most common scams in Ireland.
What This Scam Looks Like
Hover over highlighted text to see why it's suspicious
AN POST: Your package is waiting for delivery. Please confirm the shipping fee (€1.99) to receive your parcel: https://anpost-ie-delivery.com/track
Highlighted text= Suspicious element (hover for details)
Typical Targets
- •Anyone expecting a delivery
- •Online shoppers
- •People who don't track their parcels closely
- •Anyone with a mobile phone
Why This Scam Works
- •Most people order things online regularly
- •Small amounts don't seem worth questioning
- •Fake websites look very convincing
- •Creates urgency ("parcel returning to sender")
- •An Post is a trusted brand
Real Example
“A Sligo woman received a text: "An Post: Your package is waiting for delivery. Please confirm the fee (€1.99) at: [link]". She entered her card details on what looked like the An Post site. Over the next week, €4,200 in fraudulent transactions appeared on her account including purchases from Amazon, Apple, and various gambling sites.”
* Details changed to protect privacy. Based on reported cases.
How to Avoid This Scam
- An Post NEVER asks for delivery fees via SMS links
- Track parcels only at anpost.com directly
- Check the sender number – scam texts often come from random numbers
- If you didn't order anything, delete the text
- Legitimate customs fees are handled differently
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726
If You've Been Caught Out
Don't panic – take these steps immediately:
- 1Contact your bank immediately to cancel your card
- 2Request a chargeback for fraudulent transactions
- 3Report to An Garda Síochána
- 4Report to An Post at [email protected]
- 5Forward the text to 7726
- 6Monitor your bank statements closely
* This information is for guidance only. Always seek professional advice for your specific situation.
Who to Contact for Help
Your Bank
Check your card
Cancel card immediately
An Post
01 705 7600
Verify delivery status
An Garda Síochána
Local station
Report the fraud
Report Scam SMS
7726
Forward suspicious texts
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