Households warned over fake Royal Mail missed delivery card scam – and it could cost you £45
Victims of the convincing scam say it cost them £45 when they called about non-existent parcel
HOUSEHOLDS have been warned about fake missed delivery cards posted through letterboxes that are designed to look like they have been left by Royal Mail postmen.
The convincing red “Something For You” notes urge people to phone the depot about a parcel – but victims say they have instead been charged £45 for making the call.
The cards are almost identical to the official Royal Mail notes with similar text, colours and layout – including the words “bring ID” in a circle in the top corner.
But crucially the Royal Mail crest is missing from the top.
A photo of one of the bogus cards shows the recipient’s address handwritten in the top left box.
Other boxes mimic the genuine cards with the words “Sorry we missed you” and information on how to collect packages or have them redelivered.
After ringing what appears to be a Greater London landline, an automated message asks for your details and consignment number.
Users online said when they called the 0208 number – which is not registered to Royal Mail – they were charged £45, .
It is not clear whether the victims were charged for the phone call or were tricked into handing over the money.
A post shared 60,000 times on Facebook said: “Fake parcel notes – the fake one will charge you £45 if you call the number and does not have a Post Office logo on.
“Please don’t get conned. Was told about this today and had to share.
“Please be aware. Fake at the top.”
Another user on Twitter showed two cards – the fake one and a real one. It said: “Watch out scam. Top one with Royal Mail logo Genuine. Bottom one Fake No logo they will bill you £45 if you ring number.. be vigilant.”
Other users online claimed they had been called by the same 0208 number and it appeared to be a firm of debt collectors. When they ring back they are charged £45, they claim.
National police reporting centre said: “If in doubt, do not call the number provided, give your card details or personal information, and get in contact with us.”
The Royal Mail said: “Our security team is looking into this incident as a matter of urgency.
“Customers should check delivery cards very carefully to ensure they are genuine, and remain vigilant.
“Although this card is similar to one of our Something For You cards, the Royal Mail logo is crucially missing.
“Customers should also consider whether they are expecting a delivery from the company named on the card.
“If any customer thinks they have been a victim of fraud, they should contact Citizens Advice or Action Fraud for advice and guidance.”
In July we reported how Tesco Bank customers were warned of a fake voucher scam which lures shoppers into handing over their personal information.
Protect yourself from scammers and cyber crime
Action Fraud, the national police reporting centre, has some simple tips for staying safe:
1. Do not give out personal information (name, address, bank details, email or phone number) to anyone you don’t trust.
2. Do not trust emails asking you to confirm your bank details. Banks will never send emails like this. If in doubt, call your bank using the phone number on a genuine piece of correspondence.
3. Destroy and preferably shred receipts with your card details on and any post with your name and address on.
4. Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed. Ensure your browser is set to the highest level of security notification and monitoring to prevent malware and computer crimes.
5. Sign-up to Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code for shopping online. This adds an extra layer of security to transactions with signed-up retailers.
6. If you receive invoices or receipts for things you haven’t bought, or you are contacted about debts you do not recognise, take action. Your identity may have been stolen.
7. Get regular copies of your credit file from Callcredit, Equifax, Experian, ClearScore or Noddle. Check it for entries you don’t recognise. An identity protection service such as ProtectMyID will alert you by email or SMS to potentially fraudulent activity.
8. Be extremely wary of post, phone calls or emails offering you business deals out of the blue. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
9. If you have been a victim of fraud, beware scammers pretending to be a lawyer or a policeman who say they will help you recover the money you’ve already lost.
10. For advice call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to speak to a specialist fraud adviser. To report a fraud, call the same number or use the .
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