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Is this DHL email real or a scam?
What fake DHL emails look like, how to check a real one, and where to report it.
What the fake DHL emails say
“Your parcel is waiting”
A link to arrange delivery asks for your address and card.
Import duties to pay
A small fee is demanded for a parcel you did not order.
An attached shipping document
The attachment is malware.
What one looks like
From: DHL Express <[email protected]>
Shipment on hold: duties unpaid
Your shipment cannot be delivered until import duties of $3.20 are paid. Pay within 3 days to avoid return.
This is an illustration built from the common pattern, not a real message. Note the sender address: it contains the brand name but does not end in the company’s own domain.
How to tell a real DHL email
DHL sends email from its own domains, such as @dhl.com, @express.dhl.com and @dpdhl.com. Its website is dhl.com.
A matching address alone is not proof, because sender addresses can be forged. The reliable check is your own account.
The safe way to check: Type the tracking number from your order into dhl.com yourself.
Where to report it
Send the email as an attachment to [email protected].
You can also report it in your mail app and to the FTC.
If you already clicked
Close the page. If you entered your password, change it on the real DHL website now, and anywhere else you used the same one. If you entered card details, call your bank. The step-by-step guide covers each case.
Not sure about the one in your inbox?
Paste it into the free check with the sender address, and you get a plain answer in a few seconds.