Scam?

Mon 26 Oct 2020, 16:45

Ideally, just refuse to accept and it should go back to the sender.  I would probably still accept packages for neighbours if it had their name on it and their address, but I find this happens less and less now that, as you say, parcels are left on the doorstep or somewhere else.

It's a scam that is becoming increasingly popular and apart from all the bother is the suspicion of Identity Theft.

It goes against the grain, but if the package doesn't have a return address on the outside perhaps open it to see who has sent it and telephone them or send it back?

What you mustn't do is call any number that the person who ordered the items has managed to get on the package or in it.  If it's the scam that's doing the rounds the call won't be answered and you'll simply alert the scammer to the fact that you have received the goods.  

Just speaking from experience.  This one caught me out and I spent hours and hours protecting myself, which I think I have now done.  So - Action Fraud, Supplier, Bank, and also check (as per Christine's advice) whether you have ID Theft protection Insurance as an add on to your Home and Contents Insurance.  I discovered that I had, for 7 pence a year!  So then yet another call to alert the Insurance Company.   

Mon 26 Oct 2020, 13:49

The difficulty is that parcels are generally left on the doorstep now and you don't sign for anything. I suppose you could refuse to hand it over to anyone and try and return to delivery service. Worrying thing to happen - thanks for the advice. 

Sun 18 Oct 2020, 20:10

Not yet Kim,

But it's taken up hours of my time and I still have more protective measures to take.

Just check the name on every package you receive.  If it's not for you, then refuse to accept it.

Sad, as the Charlbury folk have always taken parcels in for others and then often used the forum to figure out who they belonged to.  I'd still accept a delivery if I knew the name of the neighbour, but not if I don't.  Besides in those circumstances the address is always the neighbour's address, not mine.

Really got caught this time, but Vodafone seem to be on the ball and have assured me that I won't have to pay.

Sun 18 Oct 2020, 19:13

So did you get charged for the package Hannen? 

Sun 18 Oct 2020, 12:52 (last edited on Sun 18 Oct 2020, 12:53)

Could be Stephen.

Might be worth logging with Action Fraud  -  https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

Only took me a few minutes and you get a Crime Reference Number, just in case.

The number of frauds is increasing more exponentially than Covid, and it may be that Charlbury is a target.  Just speculating.

Thanks to Christine for the advice about Insurance.  I've checked my Home and Contents policy and I and my Wife are covered for ID theft.  Frankly, for a few pennies, I'd recommend it as an add on for anyone. 

Sun 18 Oct 2020, 11:57

Thanks to Hannen for exposing this scam.  Wychwood House, where I live, has 13 flats. We often take in parcels for one another. Several weeks ago some man turned up claiming to come from one of the delivery services saying he had been told by one of his 'delivery mates' he had misdelivered a parcel a few days before to one of the flats. I knew that the person living in that flat had not been there for several weeks. I offered to check the general lobby area and outside the flat door but was told not to bother "it will sort itself out" and he left.  I did wonder a) how the man knew it had been misdelivered if no one had been there to receive in the first place AND b) how it could sort itself out.  It now occurs to me it could have been a similar scam..

Sun 18 Oct 2020, 09:02

Thank you John!

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 23:54

This doesn't seem to be your year Hannen...I'll keep an eye out for the plague of locusts over Fiveways!

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 17:22

Angus, ditto!  Am now on the (free) mailing list.  What a world we live in - some bad people around.  Thanks to Veronica for the heads up anyway.

Thanks Christine, will check my policy.  The Vodafone assistant said that I need to keep my wits about me as sometimes the scammers make a hit several weeks, or even months after the initial "sting".  Not sure I've got any wits left. 

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 15:28 (last edited on Sat 17 Oct 2020, 15:29)

I clicked on the link advertised by Veronica and get, "Sorry, File Not Found: 404

"Invalid URL /page/s/which-scam-alerts%C2%A0

"http://action.which.co.uk"

I then Googled "Which Scam Alerts" and the correct website came up!

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 12:46

Hannen, That's truly awful. 

You might check your home insurance to see if it covers identity fraud. Mine does. If it does, I think you need to phone them a.s.a.p. as who knows what else might be coming down the line.

You will probably need a Crime Reference number. If Action Fraud did not give you one, I suggest you get one for the Vodaphone scam. 

I thought I was knowledgeable about scams -- the one last week that I spotted was from "D.V.L.A." asking me to update my details with regard to my Road Tax.

But I would never have spotted this one! So thanks for sharing.

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 12:27

A few weeks ago someone on the forum recommended signing up for the Which Scam Alert, which I duly did. I've found it informative and useful. So for anyone who missed it first time:

https://action.which.co.uk/page/s/which-scam-alerts ;

And thank you to the person who first mentioned it.  

(I haven't mastered the trick of adding a link: sorry.)

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 11:56

Thanks for all your input.

Logged with Action Fraud.  Logged with Vodafone who are investigating.

Lessons learned:  never take delivery of a parcel unless you've checked it has your name on it!

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 11:10 (last edited on Sat 17 Oct 2020, 11:11)

Definitely  contact vodaphone and get them to block the phone from their end ASAP before you end up with a big phone bill 

Sat 17 Oct 2020, 10:42

There has been a development.

This morning I received a letter from Vodafone addressed to the individual and confirming "my" new contract with them.  No spend limit!

What to do?

Fri 16 Oct 2020, 21:05

In addition, maybe worth contacting your card issurer for a new card & PIN.

Fri 16 Oct 2020, 19:39

Reported to Action Fraud.

Fri 16 Oct 2020, 19:09 (last edited on Fri 16 Oct 2020, 19:10)

Crikey.  Thanks all.

So what should I do?  Is it worth bothering the Police?

I can't remember who the supplier was!

Fri 16 Oct 2020, 18:28

Its one of the best scams ever,  they have stolen your details, ordered stuff on your card as the original data includes your address it has got to be sent there.  You phone up the number which is untraceable and someone collects it. the best way to stop this especially if you havent ordered it is to contact the supplier.

Fri 16 Oct 2020, 18:09

This seems to be rather similar ... and just as dodgy ...
https://www.herts.police.uk/news-and-appeals/warning-to-residents-after-series-of-delivery-scams-0066

Fri 16 Oct 2020, 17:01

That sounds incredibly dodgy to me, unless you've only moved into your house recently (he may have lived there previously, and pressed the wrong button on the range of delivery addresses that we have on sites like Amazon - an easy mistake to make!).

Fri 16 Oct 2020, 16:51

A funny thing happened to me yesterday.

DPD delivered a package to us and when I looked at the label the address was correct, including the postcode, but the name was not.

The package labelling  stated that it contained a lithium battery.

I phoned the mobile number of the "customer" which was on the package but just got the "number incorrect" message - "please check and try again".

I was going to post here then a man in a top of the range BMW pulled up and said his name was (name on the package) so I handed it to him.

I didn't think to take the reg of the car, which sped off towards Woodstock.

I didn't lose anything, but wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience and whether I should trouble the Police although I don't have much info to give them.

Any ideas/opinions?