A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues.
Q: I got a text asking me to click on a link to reschedule a parcel delivery. I was waiting for a parcel from Royal Mail, so I clicked and was asked to make a payment. Luckily, my daughter told me the text is a scam but I almost gave away my personal details. How can I spot this type of scam in the future?
A: Parcel delivery scams are becoming increasingly common. Those involving texts and emails are known as phishing scams. They aim to trick you into giving away your personal and financial details. Scammers do this by enticing people to click on links which can lead to fake websites.
While scammers can pretend to be from any parcel delivery company, many of them choose Royal Mail because it’s the largest delivery company in the UK. These scams can be in the form of a text or an email or phone call. There are also reports of fake ‘Something for You’ cards, which Royal Mail leave when a delivery attempt fails.
Here are some tips on how you can stay vigilant and spot the signs of a parcel delivery scam:
If you’re waiting for a parcel and get a message that asks you to pay to get it, or reschedule the delivery, it’s usually a scam.
Don’t click any links or attachments in the text or email.
Parcel delivery scammers often pretend to be from an organisation like Royal Mail, and can try to make you click on a fake version of the company’s genuine website. To check if a link is genuine, hover your mouse over the link without clicking on it, or press and hold on the link on a mobile device. You should be able to see the address the link goes to, so you can check it’s the same as the company’s official website address.
Make sure you check the address carefully – fake link addresses can look similar to the genuine address.
If you get an email, check if the email address matches the sender’s name or organisation
If there’s something you’re unsure about, don’t feel pressured to act. Royal Mail has a helpful page on its website of examples of delivery scams. You can check if you think something you’ve seen online, or in a text or email you’ve received, might be a scam, using an online tool on the Citizens Advice website.
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