Postal Fraud advice

Fraudsters will sometimes send their scams through the post to try and get money, banking or personal information from you in a fraudulent way.

Common types of postal scams include fake lotteries and prize draws, offers of investments, inheritance windfalls, health cures and clairvoyant letters.

How to spot a postal scam:

• Look out for letters that have generic opening titles, such as ‘Dear Valued Customer’ and where the style of this opening does not match the rest of the letter, such as the colours or even the font.
• Look out for poor spelling and grammar; this is not what you would expect from a reputable organisation.
• Be wary of letters that ask you to take action in order to avoid some kind of penalty or offer you a prize or business deal that may sound too good to be true. They may even ask you to pay a fee or share your personal details to get involved.

Avoid getting caught out by:

• Seeking advice from someone you trust, if you are unsure about any post you have received. Speak to a friend or family member or call the Citizens Advice Bureau on 03444 111 444 before responding.
• Have your name removed from direct mailing lists in the UK, to do this you can contact the Mail Preference Service on 0207 291 3310 or visiting mpsonline.org.uk/.
• Take care when disposing of post that contains your name, address or other personal information, you can shred this to help prevent it from falling into the hands of scammers.

For information on support with scams and fraud – Types of Fraud | FraudWatch by Community VISION