Hotmail and Gmail users are being warned a few fake Royal Mail email that scammers are circulating. Within the space of only one week Motion Fraud received over 1,000 reports concerning the bogus Royal Mail message. The fake email claims the recipient has missed a parcel delivery and are told to go to an internet site and enter details in order that they can collect it – but that is just a part of a con to steal personal and financial information from a victim.
If scammers pay money for these sensitive details it may be used not just for identity fraud but in addition to steal money from Gmail and Hotmail users.
Alerting people to the threat, Motion Fraud said: “Motion Fraud received 1,058 reports in a single week about fake emails purporting to be from Royal Mail.
“The emails claim that the recipient missed a delivery and has a parcel waiting for them.
“The links within the emails result in genuine-looking Royal Mail web sites which can be designed to steal personal and financial information.”
Motion Fraud provided screengrabs of the damaging email and faux website, with Gmail and Hotmail users redirected to a page where they’re told to pay a “redelivery fee” to receive their parcel.
They’re prompted to enter bank details for this fee, which is something that ought to send alarm bells ringing immediately.
Scam emails often involve people receiving messages out of the blue asking them for payment of some kind.
If you happen to receive a message like this and you are not sure whether it is real Motion Fraud advises you contact the organisation in query directly – and do not use contact information in the possibly fake email.
As a substitute, head to the corporate or organisation’s official website and use the contact information there. While this may take you overtime it’ll prevent lots more time that may be lost for those who fell victim to the scam, not to say avoiding the stress attributable to it.
You too can report scam emails by sending it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service on report@phishing.gov.uk.
The Royal Mail also has advice on its website and the way to spot and avoid a scam email.
The postal service says: “If you happen to receive a suspicious email, text message, telephone call or discover a Royal Mail branded website which you’re thinking that is fraudulent, please report it to reportascam@royalmail.com.
“For suspicious emails, forward the e-mail to reportascam@royalmail.com, don’t click on any links or attachments after which delete if out of your inbox.
“For suspicious text messages, please send us a screenshot of the message to reportascam@royalmail.com.
“For suspicious calls or web sites, please include the phone number or website address within the body of the e-mail.
“If you’ve been the victim of a payment scam, you may get against the law reference number by reporting it to your local Police station.”
