Waiting for your FedEx order to arrive can sometimes feel interminable. But then you receive a text message alerting you that your package is on its way. Good news, right? It could be, or it could be a scam.
Well, in 2020, more and more people started receiving suspicious-looking texts from a source claiming to be FedEx. In this article, we’ll tell you how to recognize this scam and what to do if you suspect you’re involved!
Does FedEx Send Texts In [currentyear]?
FedEx sends delivery updates via text to customers who have signed up using the Delivery Manager tool in [currentyear]. If you receive a text from FedEx but haven’t signed up for alerts and aren’t expecting a package, there’s a good chance that the message is fraudulent. Signs of scam texts include spelling or grammatical errors and excessive exclamation point usage.
To learn how to recognize fraudulent FedEx text messages, be sure to read our entire guide for useful facts and tips!
Does FedEx Text You When Deliveries Are Made?
While the bulk of this article is about scam texts, it’s worth noting that not all text messages coming from FedEx are fraudulent.
Indeed, if you sign up for the FedEx Delivery Manager tool, you can track packages and receive notifications about impending deliveries via email, SMS text, or phone.
Therefore, if you’ve signed up for this service and know you have a package coming, you can be confident that the text you’re receiving is legitimate.
How Do I Get FedEx Text Notifications?
Just like you can use FedEx’s Delivery Manager tool to receive text messages about an upcoming delivery, so too can you text FedEx for package updates.
In fact, it’s as easy as sending an SMS.
Simply text “FOLLOW” and then your tracking number (e.g. “FOLLOW 123456789012”) to 988-097-1255. Next, reply “YES” when you receive the welcome message.
However, be aware that messaging and data rates may apply when using this service.
How Can I Recognize a FedEx Scam?
Although it’s scary to think about all of the con artists out there, knowing how to recognize a scam is your best defense.
With that in mind, let’s discuss some things you can look for when determining whether or not a FedEx text message is fraudulent.
First and foremost, it’s important to know that FedEx does not request, via unsolicited mail, text, or email, payment or personal information in return for goods in transit or in FedEx custody.
In other words, if you receive an unexpected text message from a source claiming to be FedEx in return for the delivery of a package, then there’s a high probability it’s a scam.
Some other scam giveaways include:
- Links to misspelled or slightly altered website addresses (e.g. fedx.com or fed-ex.com)
- Frequent use of exclamation points
- Claims that you’ve won a large sum of money in a lottery or settlement
- Messages demanding immediate action (e.g. “Your account will be suspended within 24 hours if you don’t respond”)
- Messages addressed to another person
- Messages containing a “tracking code” and a link to a set of “delivery preferences”
What Should I Do If I Suspect a FedEx Scam?
If you suspect a scam, you should start by asking yourself questions like:
- Was I expecting a package delivery?
- Did I send a package to someone?
- Did I sign up for text notifications?
If you answer “no” to one or more of these questions, then it’s likely that you’ve encountered a scam. Once you’ve determined this, do not reply or cooperate with the sender.
If you’re still not sure whether or not you’ve encountered a scam, you can check the tracking number using the official FedEx tracking website.
Be sure to type the number in manually. Do not click on any links in the text message.
Once you enter the number, there’s a good chance you’ll see a message like “Tracking number doesn’t exist.” This will confirm once and for all that the message is a scam.
FedEx requests that you report any such texts to abuse@fedex.com. This helps the company keep track of fraudulent messages and alert customers of any new scams.
If you’ve fallen victim to a scam and your interaction resulted in financial loss, contact your bank immediately.
You can also consider contacting the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or your state Attorney General’s office.
They may not be able to get your money back, but your testimony could help these organizations track down scammers and prevent other people from becoming targets.
To learn more, you can also see our posts on whether or not FedEx reuses tracking numbers, does FedEx delivers to door, and does FedEx delivers to Canada.
Conclusion
There are times when FedEx sends legitimate text messages alerting customers to an upcoming delivery. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that you will only receive these messages if you sign up for them.
If you haven’t signed up for text alerts and aren’t expecting a package, there’s a good chance that the message you’ve received is fraudulent. To protect yourself, don’t click on any links in the message and report the incident to FedEx as soon as possible.
