TL;DR: Fake package-delivery text alerts were the single most-reported category within the FTC's $470 million in total text-message scam losses for 2024, ahead of fake job offers and fake bank fraud alerts.
Fake package-delivery text alerts were the single most-reported category within the FTC's $470 million in total text-message scam losses for 2024, ahead of fake job offers and fake bank fraud alerts.
What the Data Shows
These scams work because almost everyone is expecting a package at any given time — the safest habit is to track deliveries only through the retailer's own app or website rather than tapping a link in a text.
Why This Matters
Numbers like these are a reminder that this isn’t a rare event — it’s a routine risk. Checking whether your own information has already been exposed takes 30 seconds and costs nothing.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading Elder Fraud Statistics 2026.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see Gift Card Scam Statistics 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the numbers actually show?
Fake package-delivery text alerts were the single most-reported category within the FTC's $470 million in total text-message scam losses for 2024, ahead of fake job offers and fake bank fraud alerts.
What does this mean for you?
These scams work because almost everyone is expecting a package at any given time — the safest habit is to track deliveries only through the retailer's own app or website rather than tapping a link in a text.
Where does this data come from?
This data is drawn from FTC – Top Text Message Scams of 2024, a primary reporting source for fraud and identity theft data.