Post Office / Parcelforce Scam

[Rog (RJ)]

Received a text yesterday saying "Your Royal Mail parcel is waiting for delivery. There is an unpaid delivery fee, Visit HTTP etc etc"

As I'm not expecting any parcels I have reported the matter to Royal Mail. Awaiting feedback from them, but somehow I don't think there will be any.

Just be aware and don't click on any links if you get a similar message, there are quite a few examples of scams on Royal Mail's website.

[teedoubleudee]

I had a similar text on Saturday and I WAS expecting a parcel. But it just didn't look right and I ignored and deleted it. Parcel arrived yesterday, nothing to pay.

Yesterday I got an email supposedly from DVLA but the english was so bad it was laughable. I checked the email header and it was full of rubbish including content of an email from Sainsburys!

There are places where you can forward suspect scam emails and SMS messages which I always do now. From memory IIRC the SMS one is 7726 but cant remember the email address, just google it. It's worth the little bit of extra work as they can get these scammers traced and shut down.

[Walkingthedog]

I’ve had the Royal Mail text several times asking for £1-99. I know that’s not the way they work so deleted it immediately. If it was for real I wouldn’t get the parcel. If a parcel delivery I was expecting didn’t arrive I would contact the seller.

[bulleidboy]

I also got one the other day - mine was "supposedly" from DPD, saying they were not able to deliver my parcel this morning, and it would cost £2.99 to book a new delivery slot. I was not expecting any parcels - from anyone! So deleted straight away.

[glencairn]

Glad nobody has fallen for the Scam.

Having worked in the Postal Service (in every position except the Postal Trains), the Post Delivery person will try to deliver first. If unable to deliver, a (red) card is put through your letterbox saying 'Tried to deliver (etc.). A charge of XYZ has been made.' With details what to do next.
Invariably you have to go to your local Postal Delivery Office.

Never. Never. Never', is it done by text, online or telephone.

Stay Safe

Glencairn

[Walkingthedog]

You can pay any fee or rearrange delivery on line now. Very easy.

[RogerB]

Just arranged a redelivery, online as WTD says. No fee to pay, R-

[bulleidboy]

New scam today - just received a very official looking email to say my car road tax is due and could I pay it now. Interestingly, payment was to be made only with a credit card not a debit card. Beware!!

[IanS]

Unless you're already in communication it is highly likely that any official looking contact will be a scam. Officialdom is still stuck in the 20th Century so hasn't generally embraced e-mail communications or text messages although during the pandemic a few branches of the health service have moved forward from the 19th century to the late 20th century, with one or two getting into the 21st century!

Generally, if you look carefully at the 'header' of e-mail you can see straight away it's not genuine, although the details you see can be spoofed, the scammers normally don't bother.

Stay safe - check e-mail regularly but don't click on links as the text for the link may not be where you are sent. If you're expecting a message and it has a link then manually type the address into the top of the browser - if it is genuine it will work. If it is super long, don't bother simply go to the website (manually typing it in of course) and there'll be a route to take if it is important!

[RAF96]

You can forward suspect scams directly to the agency they are purporting to be (e.g. Royal Mail, a bank or building society, HMRC, etc), who all have such info on their real web sites including info about latest scams. I have always had a response from them confirming the email, etc was a scam attempt.

Or you can pester the UK Government here
mailto:mail@gsi.gov.uk?subject=Spam%20report
Or here
mailto:compliance@ico.gsi.gov.uk?subject=Spam%20report
I warn you that these gov agencies may ask you to fill in some additional paperwork and then tell you that either ...
A) the perp originates from outside UK hence they can do nothing about it
Or
B) the perp is not actually trying to steal your money, but simply trying to help you with your problem.
Try it once if you like but I never bother with the gov quangos.