Courier Delivery Scams Now South Africa’s Most Common Fraud
A 2026 survey found courier and delivery fraud is the scam South Africans are targeted with most. How the fake messages work and how to check a delivery safely.
Fake delivery messages have become the scam South Africans meet most often. The SpendTrend26 survey by Discovery Bank and Visa, reported in April 2026, found that 46% of respondents had been targeted by courier or delivery fraud, more than by email phishing.
How the scam works
- A message by SMS, email or WhatsApp claims a parcel is waiting and asks for a small fee for delivery, redelivery or customs.
- It uses the name of a real courier, an online store or the Post Office.
- The link opens a convincing copy of a courier website that captures your card or banking details.
How to stay safe
- Do not pay fees through links in messages. Real couriers do not ask for customs payments through an SMS link.
- Check the tracking number directly on the courier’s official website or app.
- Look closely at web addresses: small misspellings are a warning sign.
- If you were not expecting a parcel, ignore the message.
A note on addresses
Scam messages sometimes claim your “address is incomplete” or your “postal code is invalid”. If in doubt, check your code yourself here rather than following a link.