We are all wary of Postal Scams, these days. But some of us are still caught out. Here’s our short guide to spotting scams and what to do to help yourself avoid them.
Postal scams typically offer something which sounds attractive but doesn’t actually exist. The two most common scams are fake lottery winners and nonexistent competitions. We can never
stop scam mail completely but here are a few tips.
How to spot scams
- Bad spelling or poor grammar.
- Unsolicited contact. Do you know the company or recall sharing details with the company.
- Brightly coloured envelopes saying words such as ‘urgent’, ‘open now’.
- Asks you to pay an admin or transfer fee to claim the winnings / prizes.
- Letters may have official seals, serial numbers, watermarks, barcodes, testimonials from previous competition winners to make them appear genuine.
Protect yourself:
- Register with the Mail Preference Service (MPS) on 0207 291 3310.
- Make sure you tick the box to opt out of any agreements to share your data.
- Report scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or Citizens Advice 0345 070 0707
