Parcel Delivery Scam

[nj]

Postal Scam

Can you circulate this around especially as Christmas is fast approaching - it has been confirmed by Royal Mail. 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 6611911 (a premium rate number). DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize .

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed ?15 for the phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 02072396655 or ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator) at www.icstis.org.uk

[LuvPeckham]

These warnings always confuse me

If the ICSTIS, the Trading Standards people and the Royal Mail are aware of this going on, then why on earth has no one moved to have the premium rate number disconnected so that no one can call it or be billed ?

I am sure that ICSTIS will have details of the number and have the ability to cancel it if this is the case

Please enlighten me to why this hasn't happened ?

[SeanMacGabhann]

No longer a problem as of 2006 according to Hoax Slayer

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/pds-phone-scam.html

[Administrator]

Moving this to the Lounge area as it is no longer an issue.

[DaveR]

That particular scam was closed down, but I am reliably informed* that PhonepayPlus are not ruling out there being similar scams around, which apparently often re-surface around Christmas. So it is still sensible to be cautious about stuff that doesn't come from a recognised delivery service.

*the scams guy from PhonepayPlus told me yesterday