UK Fraud Prevention Agencies Issue Scam Alerts Over Royal Mail, DVLA Phishing, Cifas Impersonators

A trio of scam alerts has been issued by Cifas, a UK fraud prevention service, warning consumers of deceptive Royal Mail delivery schemes, a DVLA phishing attack, and criminals impersonating Cifas itself.

While not a class action lawsuit, TCA is reporting on these scam alerts to help keep consumers informed about identity theft and fraud.

Royal Mail Delivery Scam

Consumers who used Royal Mail delivery services over the Christmas holiday should be on the lookout for fraudulent emails and texts, according to one of the Cifas scam alerts, Daily Record reports.

Fraudsters are reportedly attempting to funnel victims to phishing websites by claiming that the consumer has an undelivered package due to an “incomplete address.”

Cifas warns consumers to inspect such messages carefully to determine whether they are legitimate. Often, scammers will use email addresses that appear genuine but contain extra characters. In addition, the Cifas recommends checking with the person who sent or was supposed to receive the package.

Consumers who provided information and are concerned that they may have fallen for the Royal Mail delivery scam should immediately contact their bank as well as Police Scotland using 101.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Scam

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued one of the scam alerts, this time over a scheme to dupe drivers into disclosing personal information. Scammers will reportedly tell drivers via email or text that they are due a refund for overpaying their car tax or that they must update their info to make a payment.

In both scenarios, would-be thieves are attempting to “phish” personal and banking information. DVLA phishing emails and texts can be forwarded to either report@phishing.gov.uk or to 7726, WalesOnline reports.

Cifas Impersonators

Finally, Cifas says that consumers have received emails purporting to be from the fraud prevention agency. The scam emails ask for personal information that could be used by identity thieves, Cifas warns. The agency goes on to say that it will never contact consumers and ask for personal or financial information.

“Criminals are always on the lookout for the latest vulnerabilities in day-to-day life to take advantage of. With the nation back into lockdown, we can be confident they’ll continue to look for new and innovative ways to attempt to steal our personal and financial information — especially with an increasing number of us shopping and transacting online,” a Cifas spokesperson told the Daily Record.

“People need to remain vigilant against these scams and think carefully when responding to any requests by email, text, or phone. Never click on links provided in emails or texts, or give your personal or financial details to anyone over the phone or on your doorstep – no matter how legitimate the caller appears,” the spokesperson added.

Have you experienced one of these scams? Tell us about it in the comment section below!

Read More Lawsuit & Settlement News:

• Pension Scams Have Stolen More Than More than £30M Since 2017
• Amazon Scam Calls Ask Consumers to ‘Press 1’
• Ticketmaster Data Breach Group Action Open Claim
• Equifax Data Breach Group Action Open Claim