Parcel delivery scams are becoming increasingly common. They are known as phishing scams, and aim to trick you into giving away your personal information and financial details, so your bank account and money can be accessed.

One way scammers do this is by enticing people to click on links, which can lead to fake websites, in the hope that this information will be entered. This 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 is attempted, but no-one is home.

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, it’s usually a scam.
• Don’t click any links or attachments in the text or email. Delivery companies won’t ask you to pay them through a link in an email or text.
• 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, and 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.
• Other signs of a message that is a scam include bad spelling and grammar, and when it starts with a general greeting instead of your name. But, scam messages can sometimes be sophisticated - so don’t rely on obvious mistakes only.
• If you get an email, check if the email address matches the sender’s name or organisation - you might have to click on their name to see the email address.
• If there’s something you’re unsure about, don’t feel pressured to act. You can find the official details for the company the person who has contacted you says they’re from, and ask the company if they’ve contacted you.

You can check if you think something might be a scam, using an online tool on the Citizens Advice website. If you have been scammed, you can report it on the Citizens Advice website, and check what else you need to do - including protecting yourself from further risks. Find out more at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams

Being targeted by a scammer or falling victim to a scam can make people feel anxious or embarrassed, but it’s important to remember scammers are clever and scams can happen to anyone. Reporting them helps track down and stop scammers, and prevent other people from ending up in the same situation.

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