The Holidays Are Open Season for Scammers
Every year, when we receive multiple emails that indicate the status of our package delivery including shipping updates, delivery alerts, and updates on package arrivals, we experience many different types of holiday hustle and bustle: (1) travel, (2) distractions, (3) holiday gift purchases, (4) returns of holiday gifts, and (5) tracking of holiday gift deliveries.
Many scammers have been taking advantage of these holiday hustle and bustle habits by sending phishing scams like “Your Package Delivery Failed.” In fact, “Your Package Delivery Failed” has become one of the leading sources of entry into the world of crypto theft.
Email scams do not directly steal your funds; instead they act as the first point of contact, triggering a psychological response to open the floodgates.
The goal of scammers who perpetrate the “Your Package Delivery Failed” email scam is not to steal your package, but rather your credentials — this leads to your access to your accounts, and thus your access to your cryptocurrency wallet.
In fact, at Lionsgate Network, we work with thousands of individuals who become victims of crypto recovery scam every day because they were trying to check their delivery status, only to realize that their coin was stolen and that their wallet has been emptied and has been used in a manner consistent with the tactics of many organized crime groups across Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and West Africa.
Scammers utilize different tactics and strategies to perpetrate their crimes. These scams can be extremely simple, easily scalable, and extremely damaging, particularly during the holiday season. They can oftentimes require specialized techniques to recover the funds and often rely on trusted professionals to provide assistance with their recovery.
How the Scam Works (Step-by-Step)
The scam is engineered to feel familiar, urgent, and harmless.
Step 1 — The Email Arrives
Subject lines vary, but the pattern is the same:
- “Action Required: Delivery Failed”
- “Package On Hold — Address Needed”
- “Customs Fee Required to Release Item”
The branding looks professional.
Logos are clean.
Fonts match real courier formatting.
Step 2 — You Click “Track Package”
The link leads to a page that looks like:
- UPS
- FedEx
- DHL
- USPS
But the URL is slightly off.
One letter wrong.
A character replaced.
A subdomain you’ve never noticed.
Step 3 — The Trap
You are asked to:
- Log in (credential harvesting)
- Pay a small “customs fee” (to capture your card details)
- Confirm identity (leads to fake banking or exchange login pages)
It starts small — but the objective is large:
they want your access.
Step 4 — Cross-Platform Login Crawling
Once the scammer gets one password, they test it:
- Your email
- Your cloud backup
- Your crypto exchange accounts
- Your Apple ID / Google account
- Your banking apps
Because many people reuse passwords.
And if they get into your email?
They intercept password reset links.
They hijack your identity.
They take the keys.
This is how a “missed delivery” turns into full crypto theft.
Why This Scam Is So Effective
|
Factor |
Why It Matters |
|
High holiday shipping volume |
People expect delivery notifications, so they don’t question them. |
|
Sense of urgency |
“If I don’t act now, my package is gone.” |
|
Small financial request |
A $3.95 “customs fee” feels harmless — it’s not. |
|
Emotional context |
The holidays increase pressure, speed, and lower skepticism. |
Scammers don’t hack systems. They hack attention, behavior, and timing.
Red Flags to Look For
Indications That An Email Is Not Real:
- Tracking number is not in line with something you are waiting for.
- Sender’s email domain does not equal that of the actual courier.
- Links direct you to a URL containing additional words/numbers/subdomains.
- Message has threats or high sense of urgency.
- Message asks you to supply your payment or logging information.
The Most Basic Rule:
Only rely on links that come directly from your own navigation to the courier’s site.
How to Protect Yourself (Simple, Effective, Immediate)
1. Track Packages Manually
Go directly to:
- ups.com
- fedex.com
- dhl.com
- usps.com
Enter the tracking number yourself.
2. Use a Password Manager
It prevents typo-login on fake sites.
3. Enable 2FA Everywhere
Preferably with an authenticator app — not SMS.
4. Never Reuse Passwords
One compromise becomes total compromise if your email uses the same password as your crypto account.
If You Already Clicked the Link
Maintain composure and stay focused to keep yourself protected.
- Immediately
- Change your email password
- Set Up 2FA
- Check Login History of Exchange Account.
- Review Connected Wallet Access Authorizations.
After that, your next step is critical: contact Lionsgate Network and request a full blockchain tracing report, especially if you see unauthorized transfers, exchange activity, or wallet access you didn’t initiate. Timing matters more than most victims realize. In the first 6 to 48 hours, stolen assets typically begin moving through a laundering chain — fast, automated, and increasingly complex. The more time the scammer has to operate, the more layered and obfuscated the transactions become across multiple wallets, mixers, exchanges, and cross-chain bridges.
This is exactly why victims seeking crypto scam recovery must act immediately. Every hour matters. Once funds start moving through dozens or even hundreds of addresses, law enforcement and compliance teams have a harder time following the paper trail — not because recovery is impossible, but because the evidence must be collected and preserved before it’s buried in sophisticated laundering routes used by international crime groups.
At Lionsgate Network, we provide a crypto recovery service designed for this window of opportunity: rapid tracing, reporting, and escalation to enforcement, platforms, and relevant compliance bodies. And while delays are common due to shock, confusion, or embarrassment, waiting only benefits the criminals — never the victim.
If you’ve already fallen into a scam or suspect a crypto recovery scam is targeting you while you’re trying to seek help, stop, document everything, and let experts step in. The moment you act — not the moment fraud happens — determines how recoverable your case will be.
How Lionsgate Network Helps
We specialize in crypto asset tracing and law enforcement support.
Our role:
- Identify where stolen funds were moved on-chain
- Map wallet clusters and laundering patterns
- Prepare subpoena-ready forensic reports
- Work with agencies such as:
- Homeland Security Investigations
- IRS-CI
- FBI Cyber Task Force
- Europol Cybercrime Commands
We don’t rely on screenshots.
We rely on real chain movement and evidence law enforcement can act on.
This is why victims and attorneys come to us.
Not because of the scam.
But because of the strategy to recover.
If You Are Reading This and Something Already Happened:
You’re not too late —
but do not wait.
Request Immediate Case Review
→ lionsgate.network
- Transaction hash (TXID), if any
- Screenshot of the suspicious email
- Any wallet addresses involved
We respond fast.
Because delay is expensive.
