Is this delivery text from DHL a scam?
No. DHL is one of the world's largest logistics and express delivery companies and operates legitimately in Australia. Its name is a favourite disguise for scammers, who send fake customs-fee texts, bogus 'reschedule your delivery' messages and verify-your-details emails pointing at lookalike DHL pages. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real DHL message from a fake.
Genuine DHL links lead to dhl.com — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is exactly what a real DHL message looks like, the scams currently circulating in its name, the red flags that give a fake away, and a real example to compare against. Got a message in front of you? Check it now for an instant verdict.
What a real DHL message looks like
Genuine messages from DHL link to dhl.com. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Genuine DHL delivery updates and tracking notices are sent from dhl.com domains only
- DHL never requests payment of customs or import fees via SMS or email links
- Any fee or duty is presented inside the recipient's secure account on the official DHL portal at dhl.com
- DHL Express Australia notifications about delivery changes or pickup times come through the official app or logged-in web portal
- DHL does not send SMS from random short codes or long international numbers asking you to click a link
What DHL will never do
- Request payment of customs or import fees through an SMS or email link (genuine fees or duties appear inside your secure account on the official DHL portal at dhl.com)
- Send texts from random short codes or long international numbers asking you to click a link
- Ask for credit-card details or personal ID outside the logged-in dhl.com consignee portal
- Handle delivery changes or pickup times anywhere except the official app or logged-in web portal
- Threaten to return or destroy a parcel within hours; no legitimate courier runs a same-day countdown to force a payment
Common DHL scams
- SMS claiming a DHL parcel is held at the border and that you must pay a customs fee immediately by clicking a link
- Messages pretending to be from DHL Express Australia that direct recipients to a fake site to “reschedule” a missed delivery
- Emails or texts warning that a package will be returned unless you verify your details on a lookalike DHL-branded page
- Scam texts using Australian mobile numbers that reference a specific tracking number and urge urgent action to release the parcel
Red flags to watch for
- Any SMS or email that asks you to pay customs or redelivery fees by clicking a link
- A sender address or domain that is not exactly dhl.com
- Urgent language stating the parcel will be returned or destroyed if you do not act now
- A link that leads to a domain such as dhl-redelivery[.]example or dhlexpress-secure[.]example instead of the real DHL site
- Requests for credit-card details or personal ID outside the logged-in dhl.com consignee portal
DHL scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating DHL typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
DHL: Shipment 4482-AU has arrived in Australia and is held by border clearance. An import duty of $12.80 is outstanding. Pay today at dhl-clearance-au[.]example or the item will be returned to origin.
What gives it away:
- DHL never requests customs or import fees through an SMS link; genuine duties appear inside your account on the DHL portal when you log in yourself
- The domain isn't dhl.com, and a return-to-origin ultimatum is the pressure tactic, not how clearance works
- The text came from an ordinary number; DHL doesn't message from random numbers asking you to click
Subject: Delivery on hold: confirmation needed. Dear valued customer, our courier could not confirm your address. Verify your details within 24 hours at dhl-parcel-confirm[.]example, or your package will be returned and re-shipping charges will apply.
What gives it away:
- It wasn't sent from a dhl.com address, and the verify link leads to a lookalike DHL-branded page built to harvest your details
- A 'verify your details or lose the parcel' demand with a deadline is a stock impersonation script; delivery changes happen through the official app or logged-in portal
- It never names you or your shipment properly, because the same email goes to thousands of inboxes at once
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious DHL text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from DHL
DHL's real website is dhl.com and the official app is the DHL Express app. Reach DHL through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Don't click the link, pay anything, or reply to the message
- Type dhl.com into your browser yourself, or open the official DHL Express app, and enter the tracking number from your shipping label; any real fee or hold will be visible inside your account
- If the tracking number in the message isn't recognised on the real site, or you aren't expecting anything, treat the message as a scam and delete it
If you have been scammed in DHL's name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- If you entered card details, call your bank immediately to block the card and dispute any charges
- If you entered a password, change it on the real site right away, plus anywhere else you reuse it
- If you shared identity documents such as a passport or licence number, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
- Report the scam to Scamwatch and ReportCyber using the links below, and forward the scam SMS to 7226 (spells SCAM) so carriers can block the sender
Where to report a scam impersonating DHL
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating DHL? Report it. It helps authorities and carriers shut the campaign down for everyone who gets the next one.
- Scamwatch — Report the scam to the ACCC's national scam service.
- ReportCyber — Report cybercrime and financial loss to the police.
- ACMA — Complain about scam texts and spam SMS, email or calls.
- Forward to 7226 (SCAM) — Forward the scam SMS to short code 7226 so carriers can block the source.
- IDCARE — Free identity and cyber support if your details were taken.
Latest DHL scams in 2026
DHL impersonation in Australia currently leads with the customs angle: because DHL handles so much international freight, a 'held at the border, duty owing' text sounds plausible in a way a domestic courier can't match. Recent waves send from ordinary Australian mobile numbers, quote invented tracking numbers, and pair the text with a follow-up 'address confirmation' email to the same target. The giveaway never moves: the link is not dhl.com, and DHL presents genuine fees only inside your logged-in account. Type the address yourself, check the tracking number there, and the whole campaign collapses.
Frequently asked questions
I got a text from DHL with a link asking me to pay customs fees — is it a scam?
Yes. DHL never collects import fees or duties by SMS link; any genuine charges appear only after you log into your account at dhl.com.
How do I know if a DHL delivery message is real?
Check that it comes from dhl.com and never asks you to pay or enter card details through a link. Log in directly at dhl.com to view the shipment.
What should I do if I clicked a suspicious DHL link?
Disconnect from the internet, run a malware scan, and monitor your accounts. Report the message at scamwatch.gov.au and cyber.gov.au.
DHL scam text Australia — what do I report?
Forward the SMS to 7226 and lodge details at scamwatch.gov.au so authorities can track the campaign.
What is DHL's real website for tracking parcels?
DHL's official site is dhl.com, and the DHL Express app is the safe mobile option. Type the address into your browser yourself and enter the tracking number from your shipping label there. Any tracking or payment page on a different domain is impersonating DHL.
Why did I get a DHL text when I'm not expecting a parcel?
Because the scammers don't know either; the texts are sent in bulk to huge lists of Australian numbers in the hope that some recipients have a DHL shipment coming. Not expecting anything is itself strong evidence the message is fake. Delete it, and forward it to 7226 so carriers can block the sender.
Related scam types
Scams impersonating DHL usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other courier names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Text or SMS scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Phishing scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Report a scam (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with DHL through an official channel.