$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
porch pirate package theft scam
Thieves systematically follow delivery trucks or use tracking information from data breaches to steal packages from doorsteps during the peak holiday shipping season.
“holiday shopping scam”
→ 0%Key indicators
Usually targetsOnline shoppers
Often hitsCreators and online sellers
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$640
median reported loss
Typical range$40 – $4.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Thieves follow delivery vehicles through residential neighborhoods during the holiday season when package volumes are highest.
2
Some use stolen delivery notification data to identify which homes have incoming packages and their estimated delivery windows.
3
Packages are stolen within minutes of delivery, resold online or returned to retailers for store credit.
What to do first
Use delivery lockers, require signature confirmation, or have packages delivered to a secure location like your workplace.
Related terms
porch piracydoorstep package theftHoliday shopping scamsSMSStableOnline shoppersHomeownersApartment residentsCreators and online sellersReal estate professionals and homebuyersOnline shoppersUnited StatesCanadaUnited Kingdomporch piracydoorstep package theft
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Laura, 34, a online shoppers, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate holiday shopping scams situation while using SMS. Thieves follow delivery vehicles through residential neighborhoods during the holiday season when package volumes are highest.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: Some use stolen delivery notification data to identify which homes have incoming packages and their estimated delivery windows.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Packages are stolen within minutes of delivery, resold online or returned to retailers for store credit.
The outcome
Laura realized something was wrong when tracking shows delivered but package is missing from your doorstep. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Use delivery lockers, require signature confirmation, or have packages delivered to a secure location like your workplace. Laura's experience shows why tracking shows delivered but package is missing from your doorstep and neighbors report seeing unfamiliar vehicles following delivery trucks are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Tracking shows delivered but package is missing from your doorstep
- Neighbors report seeing unfamiliar vehicles following delivery trucks
- Delivery photos show the package was placed in a highly visible location
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Use delivery lockers, require signature confirmation, or have packages delivered to a secure location like your workplace.
- ✓Set up delivery alerts and retrieve packages immediately, or use a video doorbell to monitor deliveries.
- ✓Report package theft to local police with any doorbell camera footage and file a claim with the carrier.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Save the full chat or call log before blocking the sender so the reporting path still has the original context.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- A 2024 Security.org survey found that 49 million Americans had at least one package stolen in the prior 12 months, with thefts peaking between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Tell close contacts if a phone or text scam used your identity, so scammers cannot reuse the same story against people around you.
- ✓Use delivery lockers, require signature confirmation, or have packages delivered to a secure location like your workplace.
- ✓Set up delivery alerts and retrieve packages immediately, or use a video doorbell to monitor deliveries.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
A 2024 Security.org survey found that 49 million Americans had at least one package stolen in the prior 12 months, with thefts peaking between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Security.org Package Theft Report 2024
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Online shoppers, Homeowners, Apartment residents
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, United Kingdom
Primary channel
SMS — Holiday shopping scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Online shoppers are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The ongoing nature of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- A 2024 Security.org survey found that 49 million Americans had at least one package stolen in the prior 12 months, with thefts peaking between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Source notes
- Security.org Package Theft Report 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about porch pirate package theft scam
How does the porch pirate package theft scam work?+
Thieves follow delivery vehicles through residential neighborhoods during the holiday season when package volumes are highest. Some use stolen delivery notification data to identify which homes have incoming packages and their estimated delivery windows. Packages are stolen within minutes of delivery, resold online or returned to retailers for store credit.
What are the warning signs of porch pirate package theft scam?+
Tracking shows delivered but package is missing from your doorstep Neighbors report seeing unfamiliar vehicles following delivery trucks Delivery photos show the package was placed in a highly visible location
What should I do if I encounter porch pirate package theft scam?+
Use delivery lockers, require signature confirmation, or have packages delivered to a secure location like your workplace. Set up delivery alerts and retrieve packages immediately, or use a video doorbell to monitor deliveries. Report package theft to local police with any doorbell camera footage and file a claim with the carrier.
Who is most at risk for porch pirate package theft scam?+
This scam primarily targets Online shoppers, Homeowners, Apartment residents. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, United Kingdom and typically appears on SMS.
Is porch pirate package theft scam still active?+
porch pirate package theft scam is currently on our watch list. It has been reported across US, CA, UK. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
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