Does UPS text you?

Updated October 30, 2026

Yes, UPS does text you, but only shipment updates you asked for, or replies when you text UPS customer service. UPS lists 75137 and 24031 as its US text numbers. UPS says it doesn't ask for payment or personal information in unsolicited messages, so a surprise UPS text asking for a delivery fee, your card, or your details through a link is a scam. Check by tracking your package on ups.com yourself.

When UPS really texts you

UPS sends real texts, so a UPS text isn't automatically a scam. According to UPS's own text terms, you get one in these cases:

Real UPS text	How it starts	Sent from (US)
Shipment status updates, like the current status, a delay or exception, and the delivery	You asked for text notifications for that package and replied YES to confirm, or you texted TRACK to UPS	75137 or 24031
Answers from UPS customer service, by chatbot or a live agent	You texted SUPPORT to UPS, or texted it a question	75137 or 24031

UPS's terms say you can text HELP for help and STOP to cancel at any time. UPS My Choice, which has a free membership, also offers delivery notifications and delivery photos.

One detail matters: a real UPS signup can ask you to reply YES. That's expected right after you asked UPS for text updates. A surprise "UPS" text that tells you to reply Y so its link starts working is a different thing, and it's a known scam trick (below).

What a real UPS text never does

No payments or personal details out of the blue. UPS says it doesn't request payments, personal information, financial information, account numbers, IDs or passwords in an unsolicited way, or in exchange for delivering a package.
No gift cards, wire transfers, money orders or cash. UPS tells customers never to pay that way.
No fees for most packages. UPS says only a few packages need money for delivery: collect on delivery, duties or taxes. Tracking the package is the safest way to see if anything is due.

Signs a UPS text is fake

You aren't expecting a package, and nobody told you they sent one.
It asks for a fee before it will deliver, or for your card number. UPS's own examples of fake texts include one saying you must pay a small amount to deliver the parcel and to reply YES to get an invoice.
It says a delivery failed and pushes you to reschedule through a link. UPS's examples include a "we've missed you" text with a link to a look-alike web address. Police in Grand Junction, Colorado warned in 2025 about fake UPS texts claiming a missed signature, a package being held, or an unexpected delivery fee.
It threatens to send the package back or rushes you. Sheriff's offices in Florida warned about fake texts saying a package will be returned to the sender unless you confirm a delivery time. UPS says scammers rely on urgency to create panic.
It tells you to reply Y to turn on the link. AppleInsider reported fake UPS redelivery texts in 2025 that did exactly this, to get around the iPhone's protection against links from unknown senders. More on the reply-Y trick.
The link isn't on ups.com. UPS warns about addresses with numbers in place of letters, abbreviations and slight misspellings, and says to use ups.com rather than a link in a message.

Fake package delivery texts are the most reported text scam in the US: the FTC says fake package delivery problems topped its list for 2024. The same scripts go out with USPS, FedEx and other carriers' names. Does FedEx text you? · How to tell if a USPS text is real

How to check safely

Don't tap the link or reply. Type ups.com into Safari yourself and enter the tracking number from your order confirmation or from the sender. If UPS really needs something from you, like duties on an international package or a delivery change, you'll see it there. UPS says that if it contacts you about a package, it can always give you a tracking number you can check on its website.

If someone you know sent you a package, you can also ask them for the tracking number.

If you already tapped the link or paid

You paid with a card: call your bank or card company right away, using the number on your card, and ask them to stop or reverse the charge.
You entered your personal details or a sign-in code: follow what to do if you clicked a scam link, and if you shared a code, what to do if you gave someone a verification code.
You have a UPS account: sign in on ups.com yourself and check for shipping or billing activity you don't recognize, as UPS suggests.

Report it

Tell UPS: its fraud and scams page says not to respond to a suspicious text and has an Email UPS button for reporting it.
Forward it to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block similar messages, then delete it. How to report spam texts on iPhone.
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you lost money, you can also report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

Questions

Does UPS text you about a package or before delivery?

Yes, if you asked for it. UPS texts shipment status updates, like a delay or the delivery, for packages you requested notifications for. You can also text TRACK to UPS to get a status update. UPS My Choice, which is free, also offers delivery notifications. These updates don't ask you to pay to get your package delivered.

What number does UPS text from?

UPS's own text terms list 75137 or 24031 for the United States, both for shipment notifications and for its customer service texts. A surprise text from a different number, especially an ordinary 10-digit number or an email address, deserves extra care. Don't use its link: check on ups.com yourself.

Does UPS text you about an incomplete or wrong address?

A real UPS update for a package you're tracking can say there's a delay or a delivery problem. It won't ask you to pay a fee or hand over your card or personal details through a link to fix it. If a text says your address is incomplete, don't tap the link. Enter your tracking number on ups.com yourself and see what it says there.

Is this UPS text real or a scam?

It's probably a scam if you weren't expecting a package, it asks for a fee or your details, it threatens to send the package back, it asks you to reply Y to turn on the link, or the link isn't on ups.com. Check on ups.com instead, and report the text to UPS with the Email UPS button on its fraud page.

Sources

Facts checked October 30, 2026.