Scam Trends in 2023: Delivery Smishing, Bank Alerts and Early AI Phishing
2023 saw a sharp rise in package-delivery and bank-alert text scams, the emergence of QR-code phishing (quishing), and growing awareness of long-running pig-butchering romance-investment scams. AI tools began appearing in phishing emails and fake websites.
Last reviewed 2026-06-05.
Top scams
- Package-delivery smishing - fake 'failed delivery' texts with payment links
- Bank-alert / copycat fraud-alert texts (reported as multiplying sharply since 2019)
- Email phishing and fake invoices
- QR-code phishing (quishing) in emails and printed materials
- Pig-butchering romance-investment awareness campaigns
- WhatsApp wrong-number openers
- Fake job and remote-work offers
- Marketplace purchase/sale scams
- Tech-support pop-up scams
- Senior-targeted impostor scams
- Early AI-assisted phishing messages and fake sites
Platforms most affected
Common red flags
What people reported
Public discussions described polite 'wrong-number' openers that lowered people's guard, and convincing-looking delivery and bank texts that used urgency to push quick action. (Paraphrased from public discussions - anecdotal, not verified facts.)
Who was most at risk
- Online shoppers receiving delivery texts
- People new to crypto investing
- Job seekers and students
- Older adults targeted by phone scams
Official statistics
- The FTC reported consumers lost billions to fraud in 2023, with imposter scams among the most reported categories.
- Text-message scams rose sharply, with fake delivery and bank alerts among the most common.
Figures are paraphrased from the official sources listed below; see those sources for exact numbers and methodology.
Example patterns from this year
Sanitised examples - placeholders only, never real links or data.
Example only: USPS: your package is held - pay the fee: [fake-link removed]
Example only: Your bank card is locked - verify now: [fake-link removed]
What changed from the previous year
Smishing (scam texts) scaled up and shortened links became the norm, while QR codes started appearing in phishing.
What to watch for
- Fake delivery and bank texts with tap-now links
- QR codes in emails and on posters
- Crypto 'investment' groups promising guaranteed returns
Check related messages
Related scam types
If you were affected
See our step-by-step recovery guides and report through official channels using the reporting directory. Be wary of anyone who offers to recover lost money for an upfront fee.
Sources checked
- Brown University OIT - Latest top five text message scams - Medium reliability
- HHS HC3 - QR codes and phishing as a threat (white paper, 2023) - High reliability
- Huntress - Pig butchering scam: signs, examples & protection - High reliability
- Peoples Bank - AI scams in 2026: how to protect yourself - Medium reliability
Frequently asked questions
What was the most reported text scam in 2023?
Fake delivery texts and copycat bank-alert texts were among the most reported, using urgency to extract personal and payment details.