Take care if you get a card through the door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) saying that they have a parcel awaiting delivery instructions and asking you contact them by phone on 0906 661 1911. Whatever you do, don't call that number because it's a premium-rate line charging £1.50 a minute!
If you do receive a card with these details, you are advised to contact Royal Mail's fraud office on 020 7239 6655 or the premium-rate regulartor ictis at http://www.icstis.org.uk or your local trading standards office - or maybe all three.
ICTIS's site carries the following information about this Belize-based scam:
This is what we know about
the number you entered (09066611911).
This is a card posted through your letter box from PDS Parcel Delivery suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and to call the premium rate number in question. This service costs £1.50 per minute.
This service is under investigation by ICSTIS.
We also have contact details for the company that provides this service. If you have any queries about it, please get in touch with them to find out more.
Studio Telecom
1 Mapp Street
Belize
Belize City
Central America
studiotelecom@gmail.com
This is a card posted through your letter box from PDS Parcel Delivery suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and to call the premium rate number in question. This service costs £1.50 per minute.
This service is under investigation by ICSTIS.
We also have contact details for the company that provides this service. If you have any queries about it, please get in touch with them to find out more.
Studio Telecom
1 Mapp Street
Belize
Belize City
Central America
studiotelecom@gmail.com
Never heard of ictis? Us neither but we're definitely warming to them already. Here's what the organisation says about itself:
icstis, the Independent
Committee for the Supervision of Standards of the Telephone Information
Services, is the industry-funded regulatory body for all premium rate
charged telecommunications services.
We are non-profit making and consist of twelve part-time Committee members, supported by a full time Secretariat. We regulate the content and promotion of services through our Code of Practice. We investigate complaints and have the power to fine companies and bar access to services. In addition, we offer free copy advice and guidance to both existing and new service providers.
We are non-profit making and consist of twelve part-time Committee members, supported by a full time Secretariat. We regulate the content and promotion of services through our Code of Practice. We investigate complaints and have the power to fine companies and bar access to services. In addition, we offer free copy advice and guidance to both existing and new service providers.
Let us know your thoughts about this scam over in the HEXUS.community and tell us there about any other verified scams we should watch out for.