Is this PostNL text real or a scam? How to tell in seconds

You get a message: a parcel is waiting, but first you need to pay a small fee, "customs", "re-delivery", or "shipping". It looks the part: an orange logo, a tidy link, your name maybe. And still, something feels off. That feeling is usually right. Fake PostNL messages are one of the most common scams sent in the Netherlands, and people abroad expecting Dutch parcels get them too.

No need to panic. You don't have to be technical to spot this. Here's what to look at.

What the fake message looks like

A made-up example (this is a seeded example, not a real person's message):

From: PostNL Delivery info@postnl-tracktrace.com Subject: Your parcel could not be delivered

Dear customer,

Unfortunately we could not deliver your parcel. A shipping fee of €1.79 is still outstanding. Pay within 24 hours, or your parcel will be returned to sender.

[Pay and reschedule]

The amount is small on purpose. A couple of euros feels harmless, so you let your guard down. But you're not really paying €1.79, you're handing your card or bank details to a fake payment page.

The tells that give it away

1. The sender address is wrong. Real PostNL email comes from @postnl.nl. Addresses like postnl-tracktrace.com, post-nl.info or postnl-delivery.com are fake. The display name can say anything, check the real address behind it.
2. You're asked to pay a small fee through a link. PostNL does not ask for shipping, customs or re-delivery fees via a link in a text or email.
3. There's urgency. "Within 24 hours", "or it will be returned". Pressure is meant to stop you thinking.
4. The link goes to a look-alike domain. Not postnl.nl, but something close, sometimes just one letter off.
5. A generic greeting like "Dear customer" instead of your name.

What to do

• Don't click anything. Want to check a parcel? Open the official PostNL app yourself, or type postnl.nl into your browser.
• Not sure? Forward the message to check@islegit.email and get a free verdict in under a minute.
• Got it as a text? Delete it. In the UK and many countries you can forward suspicious texts to 7726 (spells "SPAM").

What NOT to do

• Don't click the link "just to look".
• Don't enter card, bank or payment details.
• Don't call a phone number from the message.
• Don't pay, however small the amount looks.

If you already clicked or paid

Call your bank straight away to block or reverse the payment. Change any passwords you entered. Then report it to your country's fraud or anti-scam service (in the Netherlands, the Fraudehelpdesk on 0800-2117), and to the police if needed.

This is a safety aid, not a guarantee. We don't store your emails, and personal details are stripped before anything looks at them.

Read next:

• How to spot a fake invoice
• Tikkie payment request scam
• ING phishing email example

Frequently asked