In short
If you bought something that never arrived or arrived broken, start with the seller: the seller must ship on time or refund you, and the shipper often has to file the carrier claim. If you shipped it, file the carrier's claim online inside its deadline with photos, the label record and proof of value. Default coverage is about $100. Package-delivery texts are the most reported text scam in the U.S.: real carriers do not ask for a "redelivery fee" or personal information by text. Check tracking by typing the carrier's site yourself, and report fakes to the carrier and to 7726.
How complaints work in this industry
- The shipper often controls the claim: UPS lets recipients file as a guest unless the shipper restricts it, FedEx lets recipients file or ask the merchant to file, and for a lost USPS item only the person holding the mailing receipt or label record can file. UPS: file a claim, FedEx: claims, USPS Domestic Mail Manual 609
- Claim deadlines differ: UPS within 60 days of the scheduled delivery; FedEx 60 calendar days from the ship date for U.S. damage (21 days international) and nine months for loss; USPS 15 to 60 days after mailing for most insured services. UPS: file a claim, FedEx: claims, USPS: claims
- USPS Missing Mail searches open 7 days after mailing; UPS encourages a loss investigation within 30 days of the expected delivery date when tracking shows delivered. USPS: Missing Mail, UPS: contact us
- USPS claim decisions can be appealed within 30 days, with a final appeal to the Consumer Advocate for mail filers. USPS Domestic Mail Manual 609
Your leverage
- The FTC Mail Order Rule makes the seller ship within the stated time (or 30 days if none is stated), or offer you a delay-or-cancel choice and a prompt refund. 16 CFR 435.2
- If you paid by card for goods that were not delivered as agreed, dispute the charge with the card issuer; the letter must arrive within 60 days after the first bill with the error (rule
fcba-billing-error). FTC: using credit cards and disputing charges - Guaranteed services can earn a postage refund: USPS Priority Mail Express (request 2 to 30 days after mailing), and the FedEx money-back guarantee for listed overnight and 2Day A.M. services since February 12, 2026. USPS: refunds, FedEx money-back guarantee
- Free delivery alerts and photos help prove what happened: UPS My Choice Basic, FedEx Delivery Manager and USPS Informed Delivery are free to join. UPS My Choice, FedEx Delivery Manager, USPS: Informed Delivery
Traps
- Coverage defaults to $100: FedEx includes the first $100 of value in the rate, and USPS Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and Ground Advantage include up to $100 of insurance only with a tracking barcode. FedEx: declared value, USPS: insurance and extra services
- UPS packages released without a signature at your request are not eligible for lost claims, and Ground Saver claims stop once the package is handed to the Post Office. UPS: file a claim
- Packaging matters: FedEx is not at fault for damage to an improperly packed shipment, and The UPS Store Pack & Ship Guarantee excludes customer-packed boxes. FedEx: declared value, The UPS Store Pack & Ship Guarantee
- Keep the box: if only the outer packaging proves USPS insurance, payment can be limited to $100. USPS Domestic Mail Manual 609
Scams to watch for
- Fake package delivery problems were the most reported text scam of 2024, usually posing as USPS; many people paid a small "redelivery fee" that was a trick to get their card or Social Security number. Text scams caused $470 million in reported losses that year. FTC Data Spotlight, April 14, 2025
- How USPS contacts you: the Postal Inspection Service says USPS does not text or email you unless you requested it, and its tracking texts do not contain links. Report USPS smishing to spam@uspis.gov and forward the text to 7726. USPIS: smishing
- How FedEx contacts you: FedEx never asks for payment or personal information to release a package, but it may email or text a secure link for real import duties; check the amount with the FedEx Import Tool. Forward phishing to abuse@fedex.com. FedEx: report fraud
- How UPS contacts you: UPS's fraud page says UPS does not ask for payments or personal information in unsolicited messages, and to forward suspicious messages to fraud@ups.com (seen in search-result text; ups.com blocked automated reading on 2026-10-12). UPS: protect yourself from fraud
- DHL runs an anti-abuse mailbox, phishing@dhl.com; attach suspicious emails rather than forwarding them, and send screenshots of texts with the sender's number (seen in search-result text; dhl.com timed out on 2026-10-12). DHL: fraud awareness
- If you already used the link or paid, the Postal Inspection Service says to notify your financial institution; the FTC says to report the attempt at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and forward phishing texts to 7726 (SPAM). USPIS: smishing, FTC: phishing scams
By the numbers
- ACSI 2026 (interviews through December 2025), 0-100: consumer shipping 78; FedEx 80, Amazon Shipping 80, DHL 79, UPS 77, USPS Express and Priority Mail 73. ACSI Retail and Consumer Shipping Study 2026
- BBB Scam Tracker: text message scams rose from 9.8% of all reported scams in 2024 to 14.9% in 2025. BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report 2025