Fresh warnings issued over #royalmail scam leaving people penniless

A scam preying on people waiting for parcels to arrive claiming payment is required for the package to be delivered has swept the nation, giving rise to fresh warnings about its dangers.

Dubbed the #royalmailscam or #safeaccountscam on social media, it has led to Trading standards authorities imploring people to not click on a link sent through text which connects to a copycat website run by fraudsters.

Delivery scams have boomed during the pandemic, online shopping seeing a surge leading to more and more of the “unsuspecting public” falling victim to said scams.

Katherine Hart, from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “This delivery scam is yet another example of fraudsters attempting to make money out of the unsuspecting public. Due to the lockdowns, many millions of people rely on product deliveries, so scammers have focused their efforts on this theme.

“Also, the public must also be aware that these types of scams may come in many forms, and scammers do not only use Royal Mail branding. Indeed, in January, I commented on a similar scam that used DPD branding. 

“These types of scams come in many forms, not just via text but also in emails and through the phone.”

Royal Mail said it would not use such texts – unless specifically requested instead using a grey card to tell people if any fee was required.