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Ofcom watchdog say £315 postal scam is no longer a threat
A telephone watchdog part of Ofcom has assured that a postal scam threatening to leave residents £315 out of pocket no longer poses a risk.
Phonepay Plus, the regulator of premium rate telephone services in the UK and an agency of Ofcom, said it shut down the company behind the scam in 2005.
The fake company was found to be operating in Belize and smacked with a £10,000 fine for its misconduct.
Police forwarded a chain mail last week warning residents about a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) leaving fake notes about missed deliveries and asking residents to call them on a premium rate number.
The number was 0906 661 1911 but this service was shut down and poses no threat. The chain mail warned that residents would be charged £315 on their phone bill as soon as they dialled the number.
Chief executive of Phonepay Plus, Paul Whiteing, said: "We shut this particular service down in 2005, but this chain email has been widely forwarded every year since then, even though the number no longer works and there is no cause for concern.
"We want to reassure consumers that they have no need to worry about this particular scam."
If you do receive a suspicious delivery card through your letterbox which you believe is a fake and asks you to dial a premium rate number, which usually begins with 09, call Phonepay Plus for advice on 0800 500 212 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
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