Consumers are being urged to stay alert as delivery fraud reaches unprecedented levels ahead of the festive shopping season and Black Friday. The Home Office has partnered with Evri to equip shoppers with knowledge to identify scams, following the government's Stop! Think Fraud advice.
New figures from Evri reveal that nearly 10,000 delivery fraud cases were reported during last year's Black Friday period. Scammers impersonate reputable courier companies like Evri, taking advantage of the high volume of parcels and eager anticipation of deliveries.
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said: 'As the festive shopping season brings excitement and pressure to act swiftly, it is more crucial than ever to protect yourself from potential scams. A message that looks routine could be a scam aimed at taking your hard-earned money.'
Phishing remains a primary weapon, with scammers sending convincing messages via text or email falsely claiming a parcel is undeliverable. Victims are pressured to click dodgy links leading to fake websites where they are asked to enter sensitive information or make payments.
Lee Howard, Head of Information Security at Evri, said: 'These criminals use the 'spray and pray' method, taking advantage of the millions of parcels we deliver. They know sending thousands of messages means some will reach people expecting a parcel. We will never charge a redelivery fee.'
Last year, online shopping fraud cost UK consumers £11.8 million during the Christmas period, according to City of London Police. The government has pledged to work with industry to block spoofed numbers. Consumers should report suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk or forward dubious texts to 7726 free of charge.
