"Stuck at Customs": Gift and Parcel Romance Scams
Your online partner has sent you a gift, but it is stuck at customs and a fee must be paid. How the fake courier stage of romance scams works and how to check any parcel claim.
After weeks of loving messages, your online partner says they have sent you a surprise: jewellery, a phone, designer clothes, or money for your future together. Then a "courier" or "customs officer" contacts you. The parcel is held and cannot be released until you pay clearance fees. This is one of the most common stages of a romance scam, and there is no parcel.
How the parcel stage works
- The gift: your partner says they have sent something valuable, sometimes with photos of the items and the box.
- The tracking: you receive a tracking number and a link to a courier website, which looks real.
- The hold: a "customs officer" or "courier agent" says duty, tax, insurance or an "anti-money laundering" fee must be paid.
- The escalation: after you pay, more problems appear. The parcel contains undeclared cash, or needs a new certificate, or will be destroyed unless you pay a penalty.
- The pressure: your partner is upset, begs you to pay, and may threaten that you will both be in trouble.
Fake couriers use fake websites. A tracking page that looks professional proves nothing. Scammers build them to match the story.
Illustrative example
hxxps://global-express-couriers[.]net- An agent contacts you directly and demands payment to a personal or unfamiliar account.
- Invented certificates and threats of legal action.
- A courier name and website you have never heard of.
- Cash in a parcel, which should itself be a warning.
How to check a parcel claim
- Look up the courier yourself. Is it a well-known company? Type its official website address yourself and enter the tracking number there.
- Contact the courier's official customer service using details from its official website.
- Ask how duties are normally paid. Real couriers and postal services collect duties through official channels, not via WhatsApp agents.
- Question the story. Why would someone send cash in a parcel? Why can they not pay the fees themselves?
The "diplomatic package" variation
Sometimes the story is that a diplomat is personally delivering a box of money or valuables, and is waiting at the airport or a hotel for fees to be paid. This is always a scam. Diplomats do not courier personal fortunes to strangers.
What to do
- Do not pay any fee. There is no parcel waiting.
- Recognise the bigger picture: if your partner's gift is "stuck", the relationship itself is very likely a scam. See signs of a romance scammer.
- If you paid, contact your bank immediately and report the scam.
- Save evidence of the messages, tracking pages and payment details.
Got a customs or courier fee demand? Paste it into CyberWatch AI Scan for a free check.
The parcel stage is part of the wider pattern described in romance scams explained. For all scam types, read the complete guide to online scams.
Frequently asked questions
Do customs agencies contact people by WhatsApp to demand fees?
Genuine customs duties are usually collected by the official courier or postal service through established channels when you receive the parcel. Demands from an individual 'agent' on WhatsApp, or payment to a personal account, are signs of a scam.
The tracking website shows my parcel. Is it real?
Scammers build fake tracking websites that show whatever they want. Check tracking only on the official website of a well-known courier, found by typing its address yourself.
What is a 'diplomatic package'?
A common scam story in which a box of cash or valuables is being delivered by a 'diplomat'. Real diplomats do not deliver personal money to strangers for a fee.
Sources
- What To Know About Romance Scams, US Federal Trade Commission
- Fake Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Scams, US Federal Trade Commission
- What To Do if You Were Scammed, US Federal Trade Commission
