What is the ‘held parcel’ scam?

Without a doubt, one of the most sophisticated scams – and the one that has claimed the most victims in 2026 – involves text messages or emails from purported courier companies claiming that a parcel is being held and that, to release it for delivery, you must click on the link in the message and pay a certain amount of money.

What appears to be a minor inconvenience is, in reality, the gateway for a cybercriminal to take control of your savings. We are currently seeing a multitude of cases where the user, taken in by the urgency of the message, ends up handing over their bank details. Many people let their guard down, as they are expecting to receive an online purchase, and click on the link and enter their bank details.

How can you tell a genuine message from a scam?

Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The destination URLs are now almost identical to the genuine ones used by these companies. This is why companies send you tracking numbers that allow you to go directly to the company’s website and check the status of your delivery.

Below, we list a number of details you should bear in mind when managing your shipments to avoid a potential scam:

- The sender’s name: this usually comes from an unknown number or an email address that looks like the genuine one, with just one letter changed.

- Language: the text, whether in an SMS or an email, contains spelling mistakes.

- Urgency: an example would be “You have 24 hours or your parcel will be returned”.

- Small payment amounts: in the range of €0.99 to €2.99

The problem with small payments in these scams

Amounts between €0.99 and €3 are not large sums. The real problem is that you have handed over your bank details and they can use them to make purchases without your control or permission.

The scammer’s target isn’t the two euros. What they’re after is for you to enter your card details and, most importantly, the verification code (SMS) sent by your bank. By doing so, you’re giving them permission to link your card to their Google Pay, or any other payment gateway, and authorise transfers of much larger amounts.

Parcel delivery scams: The most common excuses used in 2026 to lie and obtain your bank details

Below, you can see the most common types we have encountered in the complaints we have handled this year:

1. The ‘undeliverable’ parcel: They tell you that the delivery driver could not locate your address and that you need to update your details.

2. Excess weight: A supposed charge for a parcel that weighs more than declared.

3. Insufficient postage: They send you an image of an incorrect barcode claiming that the parcel is missing stamps.

4. Parcel held at customs: They send you a text message or email stating that your purchase is being held at Spanish or EU customs and that you must pay a certain amount to release the parcel.

If you have fallen victim to one of these scams and your bank refuses to refund your money, claiming that you “authorised the transaction with the SMS code”, do not give up – contact us.