Tracking Number Not Working? 8 Common Reasons and Fixes

Quick answer When a tracking number shows "not found" or "invalid", the cause is usually simple: the courier hasn't scanned the parcel yet (wait about 24 hours), you entered the shop's order ID instead of the courier's tracking number, or the wrong courier is selected. Copy the number straight from the shipping SMS or the order page and paste it into CheckMyOrder — it recognises the courier as you type.

The 60-second checklist

What you see	Likely reason	What to do
"No information" on a new order	Not scanned yet	Wait about 24 hours after the shipping message
Number has dashes, or starts with OD	It's the shop's order ID	Find the courier's tracking number in the order page
"Not found" with one courier	Wrong courier selected	Check the shipping SMS for the courier's name
You typed the number by hand	Typo or missing character	Copy-paste it; check O/0 and I/1
History ends with "handed over"	Moved to another courier	Look for the new courier and number in the last scans
Courier website slow or showing errors	Courier system problem	Try again after a few hours
The parcel was sent months ago	History removed	Ask the seller or courier for a delivery record
Message asks you to pay or tap a link	Possible scam	Don't pay — check the message first

1. The parcel hasn't been scanned yet

Sellers usually create the shipping label — and with it the tracking number — before the courier collects the parcel. Until the first pickup scan, most couriers show "no information", "shipment details awaited" or simply nothing.

What to do: wait about 24 hours after the shipping SMS or e-mail, then check again. During sale seasons such as Diwali, or over a weekend, the first scan can take longer. If there's still nothing after 2–3 working days, ask the seller whether the parcel was actually handed to the courier.

2. You entered the order ID, not the tracking number

The order ID belongs to the shop — the courier has never seen it. The tracking number (also called the AWB, waybill or consignment number) is the courier's reference, and it's the one that works on a tracker.

Shop	The order ID looks like	Where to find the tracking number
Amazon	three groups of digits, e.g. 404-1234567-1234567	Your Orders → Track package
Flipkart	OD followed by a long string of digits	My Orders → open the order → tracking details
Other shops	Usually shown as "Order #" or "Order ID"	The order page or the "shipped" SMS/e-mail

CheckMyOrder recognises Amazon and Flipkart order IDs and tells you where to find the right number. Our shop guides show where each app keeps it — see Amazon and Flipkart.

3. The wrong courier is selected

Many Indian couriers use long, all-digit tracking numbers, so the same-looking number can belong to different couriers. Picking the wrong one gives "not found" even when the number is right.

A few formats are easy to recognise:

• India Post / Speed Post: 13 characters — two letters, nine digits and "IN", e.g. EE123456789IN. Track India Post
• Amazon Shipping: starts with TBA, followed by 12 digits. Track Amazon Shipping
• Ekart (Flipkart): often starts with FMPC or FMPP. Track Ekart

What to do: read the shipping SMS for the courier's name. On CheckMyOrder, the courier is picked as you type; when a number could belong to more than one courier, you'll see "Could be:" with the options — try each one. Browse all couriers we cover.

4. A typo or a missing character

One wrong or missing character is enough for "invalid tracking number".

• Copy and paste the number instead of typing it.
• In numbers with letters, watch for O and 0, I and 1, S and 5.
• Leave out labels such as "AWB:" or "Tracking ID:" — enter only the number.
• Open the full message: lock-screen previews can cut off the end of a long number.

5. The parcel was handed to another courier

Some shipments change hands on the way. International parcels are usually delivered in India by India Post or a local courier, and some sellers' shipping platforms pass the last mile to a partner courier, which may issue a new number.

What to do: look at the last few scans in the first courier's history — they often name the new courier and reference. For international postal items, the same 13-character number (for example LX123456789CN) usually keeps working with India Post once the parcel reaches India.

6. The courier's tracking system is slow or down

Sometimes the problem isn't your number at all. Courier systems can be slow or briefly unavailable, especially during big sales. CheckMyOrder tells you when a courier didn't respond and gives you a link to the courier's official tracker.

What to do: wait a few hours and try again. If the official tracker shows the parcel, the number is fine.

7. The shipment is too old

Couriers don't keep public tracking history forever. After some months, an old shipment may no longer be searchable.

What to do: if you need proof of delivery for a refund or a dispute, ask the seller or the courier's customer care — they can often pull records the public tracker no longer shows.

8. It isn't a real shipment

A tracking number in an SMS you didn't expect — especially with a link asking you to "update your address" or pay a small "redelivery fee" — is a common scam pattern in India.

What to do:

• Don't tap the link and don't pay. Check the order in the app or website you actually bought from.
• Paste the message into our SMS scam checker to see the warning signs.
• Report the message on Sanchar Saathi (Chakshu) at sancharsaathi.gov.in.
• If you've already paid or shared bank details, call 1930 or report it at cybercrime.gov.in straight away.

Still not working? Who to contact

Situation	Contact first	Why
No scans 2–3 days after "shipped"	The seller or shop	They booked the shipment and can confirm the right number
Tracking stuck for several days	The seller, then the courier	Sellers have a business account and can raise a ticket
Failed delivery attempt or wrong address	The courier, with your tracking number	They manage the delivery agent
Marked "delivered" but not received	The courier and the seller, the same day	Complaints are easier to resolve when raised quickly
Nobody resolves it	National Consumer Helpline — 1915 or consumerhelpline.gov.in	A free government channel for consumer complaints

Each courier's official tracker and customer-care details are on its page, for example Delhivery and India Post.

FAQ

Why does my tracking number say "invalid"?

Usually because it isn't the courier's number (it's an order ID or invoice number), there's a typo, or the wrong courier is selected. Copy the number from the shipping message and try again.

How long after shipping does tracking start working?

Usually within 24 hours of the courier picking up the parcel. The number can exist a day or two before that, because sellers create labels before pickup.

Can I track a parcel without knowing the courier?

Yes. Paste the number into CheckMyOrder — it suggests the likely courier from the number's format, and lets you choose when more than one courier is possible.

The seller says it's shipped, but tracking shows nothing. Is it lost?

Not usually. Most often the parcel is packed and waiting for pickup. If there's still no scan after 2–3 working days, ask the seller to confirm the pickup and the tracking number.