Highfields Amateur Radio Club
Scam Warnings.

Parcel Delivery Scam.

I have received several emails about a Parcel Delivery Scam. The text of them is always the same:

Can you circulate this around especially as Xmas is fast approaching - it has been confirmed by Royal Mail and Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.

The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 XXXXXXX (a premium rate number)....... {The remainder has been cut, you get the idea}

PhonepayPlus, the phone-paid services regulator, have had to post this explanation:

PhonepayPlus, the phone-paid services regulator, is aware that a chain e-mail about an alleged postal scam is being circulated on the internet. The email refers to the Royal Mail, Trading Standards and ICSTIS (PhonepayPlus’ former name).

PhonepayPlus appreciates that recipients of the email may want to find out more information about the alleged scam and has therefore issued this notice.

So what to do if a card comes through the door? I have contacted several of the main parcel carriers and, with the exception of the Royal Mail, all the ones I contacted said that they left a card that had either an 0845 (local rate number) or a local phone number for the depot and that redelivery would be attempted the following day.
The Royal Mail leave their distinctive orange card with the phone number and address of the depot where you can collect the parcel from or make arrangements for redelivery.

So if a card is left for a parcel and it has a premium rate phone number, bin it. If you receive the email above, ignore and delete it, please don't forward it to me, I already have 3!