Australians are being urged to stay alert as a new wave of scam messages and emails impersonating Australia Post and preying on vulnerable customers sweeps the country. The fraudulent messages claim a delivery failed due to an invalid postal code, luring recipients into clicking malicious links to hand over personal information.
This latest scam is part of the 'Darcula' phishing-as-a-service operation, allowing scammers to rent a cybercrime toolkit that mimics trusted brands to steal customer data. Darcula's sophisticated techniques bypass telecommunications and network filters to send scams over iMessage and Rich Communication Services (RCS), making them harder to block.
The alarming tactic is targeting postal services worldwide and reflects a broader scam trend, with new research from Australia Post 1 showing that 9 in 10 Australians have received a scam text or call, and nearly three-quarters report being targeted by scams mimicking parcel delivery services- highlighting the scale of the threat.
Results from the survey show that:
- Over 90% of Australians have received a scam text or call
- 58% believe businesses are not doing enough to protect them
- 85% are more concerned about scams today than they were 12 months ago
- Nearly 74% report that scams most commonly impersonate shipping and parcel delivery services.
With scams becoming more sophisticated and convincing - over 57% of Australians believe scams are getting smarter - Australia Post is urging the public to stay vigilant and only trust official communications through the AusPost app.
Australia Post Chief Information Security Officer, Adam Cartwright highlighted the growing sophistication of scam communications and urged customers to rely on trusted channels when managing deliveries.
"Scammers prey on busy lifestyles and the excitement and urgency in waiting for a package. The safest way to track your deliveries is directly through the official AusPost app. If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages - always check the app first."
Confidence in spotting scam messages varies sharply by generation. Gen Z leads, with 36% saying they are "very confident" in identifying scams, compared to just 10% among Australians aged 80 and over (Silent Generation). In contrast, these older generations, like Boomers and the Silent Generation, are more likely to report being only "somewhat confident", highlighting a generational gap in digital scam awareness.
The AusPost app provides a safe alternative for customers, offering a secure place to receive delivery updates, track parcels along their journey, and redirect parcels to alternative addresses including parcel lockers. The app also provides in-app notifications for missed deliveries and parcel collection.
Australia Post continues to improve and innovate the AusPost app, with a recent enhancement including the addition of 'missed delivery' photos to give customers information and confidence that a delivery has been attempted.
Australia Post will never:
- Call, text or email you asking for personal or financial information including password, credit card details or account information
- Call, text or email you to request payment.
Australia Post also advises that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names, both real and fictitious.
To sign up for a free MyPost account either visit https://auspost.com.au/receiving/mypostor download from the Apple Store or Google Play.
For more tips on how to navigate parcel and delivery scams visit the Australia Post website: https://auspost.com.au/about-us/about-our-site/online-security-scams-fraud/scam-alerts
1. Survey conducted by Pollfish in April 2025 on a nationally represented sample of 1,000 Australians.
Media contact:
Erin Price, Public Relations Manager
0487 253 908
