Trading Standards - Delivery Scams

18th April 2024

According to our Big Scottish Scam Survey, the most common scams are related to deliveries, with 55% of respondents having experienced a delivery scam last year.

One recent scam text message reads:

"EVRI mail package in process of transportation due to damage to the outer package, address information is lost, can not be delivered. Please be sure to update the delivery address information in the link within 12 hours."

Another recent scam email asks you to pay a storage fee for an undelivered package. It reads:

"We are writing to inform you that your package has been in storage for an extended period of time due to a damaged shipping label. As a result, we kindly request that you take immediate action and follow the link provided below to pay the storage fee of £50.00 within the next 72 hours."

It says that, if you do not pay the £50 fee, there will be a daily charge of £10 added to the account until the package is collected and that failure to pay the storage fee within 72 hours will result in a fine.

The links in these messages lead to malicious websites which use branding of legitimate delivery companies and ask you to enter your contact and payment details, either to pay a storage fee or to arrange to have the parcel redelivered.


How to Avoid

Legitimate parcel delivery services will not contact you unexpectedly to ask for personal or payment details.
If you receive an unexpected message about a parcel delivery, don't click on any links or attachments or follow any instructions to download an app to your phone.

Evri have confirmed that they would never ask for a payment via text message or email.

If you are expecting a parcel, track the delivery on the company's official website rather than using links or contact details provided in an unexpected message.

Find out More
Advice from Evri on avoiding scams: www.evri.com/cyber-security
ScamShare Spotlight PDF on delivery scams: www.tsscot.co.uk/scamshare