Public warned against delivery scam

To avoid the delivery scam, the DoJ-OCC said the public should properly dispose of pouches and/or boxes of parcels containing their personal information

The Department of Justice (DoJ) Office of Cybercrime (OCC) warned the public over the weekend against a delivery scam where consumers are forced to receive and pay for parcels they did not order online.

The warning was issued by the office since it “received reports regarding the current modus operandi of perpetrators representing themselves as couriers, who target victims by delivering and demanding payment for parcels that were allegedly bought online.”

In its advisory, the DoJ-OCC said: “If you are not expecting delivery based thereon, refuse receiving and paying for the parcel being delivered. Advise members of your household to consult with you first before accepting parcels that are allegedly for you.”

To avoid the delivery scam, the DoJ-OCC said the public should properly dispose of pouches and/or boxes of parcels containing their personal information. Parcels containing personal and sensitive information should be shredded in a crosscut, diamond-cut or confetti-cut manner.

It also said that, as an alternative, the information on pouches and/or boxes may also be redacted by covering these with pens or markers with dark permanent ink.

It added individuals should also look at their “account with the official online selling platform to check existing orders for delivery.”

Those involved in the said delivery scam were strongly warned by the DoJ-OCC to stop their illegal activities.

Perpetrators engaged in these schemes may be held liable either for violation of Section 25 of Republic Act 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, under the offense “Unauthorized Processing of Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information,” or for estafa under the Revised Penal Code.