Parcel delivery company Evri has shared tips on spotting and avoiding scams in the run-up to Christmas – including the one action it will “never” do. ,
The pandemic prompted a significant increase in online shopping and home deliveries. Consequently, Evri reported an additional 250 million parcels entering its network, reflecting five years of growth in just five months.
But as more people shop online, scammers have been quick to take advantage of consumers, recognising that millions would be waiting on parcels from big delivery companies.
Bogus texts and emails impersonating well-known retailers and parcel firms are rapidly rising, aiming to deceive consumers into handing over their personal information and bank details.
A member of Evri’s Cyber Security team said: “These criminals use what we call the ‘spray and pray’ method. Sending out millions of these messages each month across a variety of different brands in the hope of catching you out.
“We take fraudulent activity incredibly seriously here and we work closely with a number of leading external cybersecurity partners as well as the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Centre to identify scams and remove these as quickly as possible.”
Sharing its top tips to help people identify when they may be being scammed, Evri said it would “never” request payment from its customers over text or email.
The firm has also provided seven additional red flags for people to look out for in any communications claiming to be from Evri.
How to report a scam
For those who think they’ve been a victim of one of these scams, Evri suggested people talk to their bank or card provider “immediately”.
People can also report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. More independent advice and support can be found via Citizens Advice’s consumer helpline on 0808 223 1122.
Additionally, people can report suspicious SMS activity to the Government’s own anti-phishing services at 7726 or report@phishing.gov.uk.
Evri customers can also report suspicious activity directly to its dedicated mailbox at phishing@evri.com.
