Every day, millions of Americans get text messages that look like they come from USPS. Some are real. Many are not. In fact, the United States Postal Inspection Service has warned about a huge rise in fake delivery texts designed to steal your personal information. These scam texts can look incredibly convincing, and one wrong tap on a link could put your bank account and identity at risk. So how do you tell the difference between a real USPS message and a fake one? And what should you actually do the moment one of these texts lands on your phone?
USPS never sends you texts out of nowhere
This is the single most important thing to remember. The USPS does not send unsolicited text messages about deliveries. That means if you never signed up for tracking updates on a specific package, any text claiming to be from USPS is almost certainly fake. It does not matter how official the message looks or how urgent it sounds. If you did not request it, it is not real. This one fact alone can protect you from the vast majority of these scams, and it is worth repeating to your family and friends.
The only way to get a real USPS text is to opt in yourself. You either send your tracking number to 28777 (also known as 2USPS) from your phone, or you register through the USPS website after tracking a package. If you did neither of those things, that incoming text about a “delivery schedule change” or “package waiting for confirmation” is a scam. Period. Do not second-guess yourself on this one.
Do not click any links in the message
When you get a suspicious text, your first instinct might be to tap the link just to see what happens. That is exactly what scammers are counting on. These links often lead to fake websites designed to look like the real USPS site. Once you are there, they ask for personal details like your name, address, or even your credit card number. In some cases, simply clicking the link can download harmful software onto your phone without you even realizing it happened.
According to warnings from the postal inspection service, clicking the link in a scam text can give criminals access to your device and personal information. That means your saved passwords, banking apps, and private photos could all be at risk. No matter how curious you are, just leave the link alone. If you are genuinely expecting a package, go directly to USPS.com in your browser and type in your tracking number there instead.
Take a screenshot before you delete anything
It might seem odd to screenshot a scam message, but it is actually a smart move. That screenshot becomes evidence you can use to report the scam to the right people. Make sure the screenshot clearly shows the phone number that sent the message and the date it arrived. If the message contains a link, that should be visible in the screenshot too. You want to capture as much detail as possible before you get rid of the text.
Once you have the screenshot saved, you can email it to spam@uspis.gov along with your name and any other details about the message. You can also report it at FTC.gov, which is the Federal Trade Commission’s website. These reports actually matter. They help authorities track down the people behind these scams and warn the public about new ones. After you have reported the message, go ahead and delete it and block the sender’s number.
Real USPS texts always come from 28777
Here is a quick way to check if a USPS text is genuine. Real USPS Text Tracking messages come from the short code 28777, which spells out 2USPS on your phone’s keypad. If the message comes from a random 10-digit phone number, a weird-looking email address, or any number that is not 28777, it is fake. Scammers cannot use the official USPS short code, so this is a reliable way to spot the difference right away.
A legitimate text tracking response from USPS also follows a specific format. It starts with “USPS” followed by your tracking number, the current status of your package, the date, time, and location. It ends with “Reply STOP to cancel.” If the text you got does not match this pattern, or if it asks you to click a link to “verify” something, treat it as a scam. Real USPS texts give you information. They do not ask you to do anything suspicious.
Never share personal details through a text reply
Some scam texts do not include a link at all. Instead, they ask you to reply with personal information. They might ask for your address to “redeliver” a package, your Social Security number to “verify your identity,” or even your credit card number for a supposed delivery fee. No legitimate postal service in the United States will ever ask for this kind of information through a text message. If a text is requesting sensitive details, that is your red flag right there.
Even replying with the word “no” or “wrong number” can be a mistake. When you respond to a scam text, you are confirming to the scammer that your phone number is active and that a real person is reading their messages. This can lead to even more scam texts in the future. The best approach is to say nothing, screenshot the message, report it, delete it, and block the number. Silence is your best defense here.
How to actually sign up for real USPS tracking texts
If you want real text updates about your packages, USPS makes it pretty easy. The simplest method is to send a text to 28777 with your tracking number as the message. You will get back the latest status of your package almost right away. The first time you do this, USPS will ask you to opt in, which just means you agree to receive the texts. Standard messaging rates from your phone carrier may apply, but USPS itself does not charge you anything.
You can also sign up through the USPS website after you track a package. The site lets you choose exactly what kind of updates you want. You can get notified about expected delivery dates, day-of-delivery updates, confirmation when the package is delivered, when a package is available for pickup, or alerts about delivery problems. You can even select all of the above. This way, you know exactly which texts to expect, and anything else that shows up is obviously fake.
Keywords make USPS text tracking way more useful
Most people do not know this, but you can add special keywords to your USPS text tracking requests to get very specific information. When you text your tracking number to 28777, just add a keyword after it. For example, if you add “DND” after your tracking number, you will get a notification every time there is a delivery attempt. If you add “AL” or “Alert,” you will be notified about delivery problems like weather delays or the need to schedule a redelivery.
There are a bunch of other helpful keywords too. Texting your tracking number with “When” or “Date” will give you the expected delivery date. “UP” or “Pickup” tells you when the package is ready for pickup. And if you want everything, you can text “ALL” by itself (without a tracking number) to get updates on every package you have ever tracked through the service. To stop getting texts about a specific package, just text “STOP” with that tracking number.
You can set quiet hours so texts stop at night
Nobody wants their phone buzzing at 3 AM with a package update. USPS thought of that. You can text the word “Quiet” to 28777, and USPS will stop sending you tracking updates between 11 PM and 7 AM Central time. When morning rolls around, the texts start up again automatically. It is a small feature, but it makes a big difference if you are someone who keeps their phone on at night or if you are a light sleeper.
If you change your mind or if you are staying up late waiting for an important delivery update, just text “Awake” to 28777. USPS will immediately turn off the quiet time setting and resume sending texts at any hour. You can toggle this on and off as many times as you want. It is completely free to use. Knowing about features like this helps you feel confident that any text you receive from 28777 is a legitimate USPS message and not something shady.
Update your phone’s security after getting a scam text
Even if you did not click the link or reply to a scam text, it is a good idea to check your phone’s security settings afterward. Make sure your operating system is up to date, because Apple and Android both regularly release patches that protect against the latest threats. If you have not turned on automatic updates, now is the time. Also, check that you have a screen lock set up, whether it is a PIN, fingerprint, or face recognition.
If you did accidentally click a link in a suspicious text, take extra steps right away. Change the passwords on any important accounts, especially banking and email. Turn on two-factor authentication wherever possible. Keep an eye on your bank statements for any charges you do not recognize. And consider running a security scan using a trusted app like the ones from Norton, McAfee, or your phone’s built-in security tools. Acting fast can prevent a small mistake from turning into a big problem.
Getting a fake USPS text does not have to ruin your day, as long as you know what to do. Remember that USPS will never text you unless you asked them to, real messages only come from 28777, and no legitimate text will ever ask for personal information or demand you click a link. Report scam texts, delete them, and block the numbers. Share what you have learned with the people around you, because the best way to beat these scams is making sure nobody falls for them in the first place.
