Royal Mail warns of ‘while you were out’ notices scam
HOUSEHOLDS are being warned of a scam involving fake “while you were out” cards purporting to be from Royal Mail.
Yesterday, Action Fraud issued a warning about the scam in which red “missed delivery” cards are posted through letterboxes, instructing recipients to phone a number to retrieve their parcel. Victims later discover they have been charged £45 for the call.
The cards, which read “Something for you”, are almost identical to official Royal Mail notes, with similar text, colours and layout – including the words “Bring ID” in a circle in the top corner.
But crucially the Royal Mail crest is missing from the top.
To organise re-delivery, the cards urge recipients to call an 0208 number, which is not registered to Royal Mail. After ringing the number the automated message asks for personal details and a consignment number.
It is unclear how many people have fallen for the scam, although Royal Mail confirmed it was aware of a number of cases.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “The Royal Mail security team is looking into this incident as a matter of urgency. Customers should check delivery cards very carefully to ensure they are genuine, and remain vigilant. Al- though this card is similar to one of our Something For You cards, the Royal Mail logo is missing.
“Customers should also consider whether they are expecting a delivery from the company named on the card”.
A spokesman at Action Fraud said it was aware of similar fraud methods.
He said: “If in doubt, do not call the number provided, give your card details or personal information. Get in contact with us.”