Christmas shoppers warned of scam parcel delivery texts
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Last-minute Christmas shoppers are being warned that scam delivery text messages are on the increase.
With many people ordering online this Christmas, huge numbers of parcels are being expected by households in the coming days.
UK Finance, a trade association representing banks and other financial firms, said just over half (55.94%) of all reported “smishing” text messages in the final three months of this year have claimed to be from parcel delivery firms.
This has more than tripled since the same period in 2020, when 16.37% bogus texts were about parcels.
UK Finance is warning people to be wary of delivery scam text messages ahead of Christmas, as new data highlights they are on the rise.
Over Christmas many parcels will be delivered across the country, something criminals are targeting.
More info – https://t.co/WsQfUW3nss pic.twitter.com/LfQaWjnrEU
— UK Finance (@UKFtweets) December 23, 2021
UK Finance obtained the figures from cybersecurity company Proofpoint, which operates the 7726 text message system on behalf of mobile phone operators. The system allows customers to report suspect texts.
The reports are being used by the National Cyber Security Centre to take down fraudulent website URLs and prevent further losses to scams.
Fake texts often claim the courier has been unable to make a delivery and ask the recipient to pay a fee or provide additional details in order to rearrange delivery.
There is then a link to a fake website asking for personal and…
