FedEx says my package is held pending a fee, is this real?
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01 · Checked with Hunch’s on-device engine, the same one inside the extension. How Hunch checks →
Part of our guide: How to avoid online shopping scams →
No, it's a scam. A FedEx text claiming your package is held and you must pay a small fee at fedex-delivery.example within 24 hours is delivery smishing. FedEx doesn't collect fees through look-alike domains or texted deadlines, and it lets you manage delivery inside your account for free. The small charge is a lure to capture your card on a page FedEx doesn't control.
Got a message like this? Paste it here →
A held-package text works because almost everyone is expecting something in the mail and doesn't want it returned to sender. The small fee is deliberately trivial, making payment feel like the fastest way to fix a minor snag, and that convenience is what draws a card onto fedex-delivery.example before the domain gets a second look.
Illustrative example of the pattern, not a real message someone received.
How to verify it yourself
- Don't tap the link. Track your shipment at fedex.com typed yourself using the tracking number from your order.
- Read the domain: FedEx uses fedex.com, not fedex-delivery.example or any extra-word host.
- FedEx manages holds and delivery options in your account for free, not through a texted countdown link.
- Never enter card details on a page opened from a delivery text, however small the fee looks.
Common questions
is fedex-delivery.example a real FedEx website
No. FedEx uses fedex.com. fedex-delivery.example is a look-alike built to capture your card through a fake fee.
does FedEx text you to pay a package fee
No. FedEx doesn't demand fees via SMS links to another domain; holds and delivery changes are handled free in your account.
why is FedEx holding my package for a small fee
It isn't, a scammer is imitating FedEx. The tiny fee is set low so you pay quickly without scrutinizing the fedex-delivery.example domain.
how do I track a real FedEx package safely
Go to fedex.com yourself and enter your tracking number, or use a tracking link from the retailer you actually ordered from.
If you already responded
- If you entered your card, call your card issuer using the number on the card and consider a replacement.
- Watch your statement for small "test" charges that usually follow this kind of theft.
- Report the SMS at reportfraud.ftc.gov and forward it to 7726 (SPAM).
Source: FTC, How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams
Hunch is not affiliated with FedEx. FedEx is named only to describe a scam that impersonates it; the real FedEx does not send these messages.