Viral ?

[barkwindjammer]

Dunno,

got a txt today from a trusted friend

Dear All

Can you circulate this around especially as Xmas is fast approaching - it has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a Premium rate number).

DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize.

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the phone call.

you never ken !

[drewpy]

PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Premium Rate Scam Warning

Outline

Email forward warns that a card from PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) informing householders about a package delivery is actually a scam designed to trick them into making a premium rate phone call charged at £1.50 per minute (Full commentary below).

Brief Analysis

Was true, but the scam was shut down in late 2005. Despite claims in the warning, the scam is not reoccurring in 2010.

Example:(Submitted, October 2007)

Subject: Postal Scam To Be Aware Of

This is a genuine scam that Royal Mail have been made aware of

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can you circulate this around especially as Xmas is fast approaching -

it has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number).

DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize.

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £15 for the phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on [number removed] or ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator) at www.icstis.org.uk

Please circulate this to avoid anyone else being ripped off.

Detailed Analysis

This email warning has been circulated since the end of 2005. Recent submissions indicate that the warning is once again rapidly gaining momentum. The information in the message was mostly factual. However, the particular scam described in the message was shut down at the end of 2005 and the information is no longer relevant. The continued forwarding of this warning to others is now pointless and counterproductive.

PhonepayPlus (previously named "ICSTIS"), the UK's regulatory body for all premium rate charged telecommunications services, issued a statement denying any reoccurence of the scam in 2007 and then again in 2009. In response to renewed circulation of the warning in late 2010, PhonepayPlus again republished the statement, noting:

Postal scam chain email – PhonepayPlus’ statement

17/11/2010

PhonepayPlus, the phone-paid services regulator, is aware that a chain e-mail about an alleged postal scam is being circulated on the internet. The email refers to the Royal Mail, Trading Standards and ICSTIS (PhonepayPlus' former name).

PhonepayPlus appreciates that recipients of the email may want to find out more information about the alleged scam and has therefore issued the following statement:

* The chain email refers to a service (operating on 0906 6611911) that was shut down by PhonepayPlus (then ICSTIS) in December 2005.

* PhonepayPlus subsequently fined the company that was operating the service, Studio Telecom (based in Belize), £10,000.

* The service is NO LONGER running and has NOT been running since December 2005.

* You do NOT need to contact PhonepayPlus, or the Royal Mail, about this service as it was stopped almost four years ago.

* If you receive a copy of the email warning you about the alleged scam, please do NOT forward it to others. Instead, please forward this statement from PhonepayPlus.

* If you receive a delivery card through your letterbox which you do not believe is genuine and which asks you to dial a premium rate number, you can contact PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212 (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm) for further guidance.

* Please go to http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/FAQ.aspx for useful information about how to recognise phone-paid services and understand what they cost, and some simple tips to help you enjoy using services with confidence.

* For more detailed information about PhonepayPlus’ work, please visit www.phonepayplus.org.uk.

[barkwindjammer]

Belize, eh,

as you were chaps