Scam library · Delivery · Email & phishing
FedEx missed delivery email scam
A message says FedEx tried to deliver your package and missed you. To reschedule, click the link, download the 'shipping label' or call a number.
Each version has a different goal: your card number, your email password, or malware hidden in an attachment.
What the message looks like
From: FedEx Delivery Manager <no-reply@fedex-redelivery-center[.]com>
Subject: Delivery attempt failed: shipment 7781...
We attempted to deliver your package today but no one was available.
Please download the attached shipping label (FedEx_Label.zip) and print it to collect your package at the nearest location, or reschedule here for a $2.15 fee.
Questions? Call 1-888-555-0177.
How this scam works
The attachment version is the most dangerous on a computer. A file named like a shipping label or invoice can be a zipped program or a web page that asks you to sign in. Opening it can install software that steals saved passwords.
The link version leads to a copy of the FedEx site that asks for a small redelivery fee and your card. The phone version tells you to call a 'FedEx agent', who then asks for payment or personal details.
FedEx says it doesn't ask for payment or personal information by unsolicited mail, text or email. Its real messages point you to fedex.com, and you can always check a tracking number there yourself.
Red flags
- A zip or HTML attachment you're told to open to see a 'label'.
- A link or sender address that isn't fedex.com.
- A redelivery fee. FedEx reschedules for free.
- A phone number in the message instead of telling you to visit fedex.com.
- No mention of what's in the package or who sent it.
How to tell it’s fake
- Type fedex.com yourself and enter the tracking number from the seller's order email.
- Check the store where you ordered: it will show the carrier and tracking.
- If you aren't expecting a FedEx package, there's nothing to reschedule.
What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info
Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.
If you clicked a link or called back
- If you opened an attachment, disconnect from the internet and run a full scan. If you're not sure the computer is clean, have a trusted technician look at it.
- From a different device, change the password of your email and your bank.
If you paid
- Dispute the fee with your card issuer and ask for a new card number.
If you shared personal info, a password or a code
- If you signed in on a fake page, change that password now, sign out other sessions and turn on two-step verification.
Where to report and get help (U.S.)
If a message seems legit and you’re still not sure, get a second opinion before you act. Reporting helps stop scammers, even if money can’t be recovered. If you are in danger, call 911.
- Your bank or card issuer
Call the number on the back of your card or on your statement, not one from the message. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and to watch the account. - Federal Trade Commission (FTC) · ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Report the scam and get a step-by-step recovery plan. - FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) · ic3.gov
Report scams that happened online, especially if money was lost. Include phone numbers, websites and payment details. - AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline · aarp.org helpline
Free, for anyone of any age: trained volunteers help you sort out next steps. 877-908-3360, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. - IdentityTheft.gov · IdentityTheft.gov
If you shared your Social Security number or someone opened accounts in your name.
How Gmork Scam Guard would warn you
Scam Guard looks at delivery emails you have open in Gmail or Outlook on the web in Chrome or Edge. It warns about lookalike senders, risky attachments posing as labels and pages pretending to be FedEx, and tells you the safe way to check tracking. It's a second opinion from a scam expert when a message seems legit.
Scam Guard can miss things, so the checks above still matter. See what it warns about and what it keeps private.
Questions people ask
- Does FedEx send emails about missed deliveries?
- FedEx sends tracking emails and door tags when you've shipped with them or signed up, but real messages don't ask for fees or send zip files. Verify at fedex.com.
- I opened the zip file. Am I hacked?
- Not necessarily, but act as if you might be: scan the computer, then change important passwords from another device.
- Where can I report it?
- Forward the email to FedEx's abuse address listed on fedex.com and report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.