I sent a letter on Friday from Thailand tracked to my mothers address in the UK.. She gets a phone call late Monday evening saying it was The Royal Mail and she had to pay £2.99 or the letter would return to sender.. So she paid it and they tried to take £2000 out of her account.. It looks like the scammers must work either at the Airport in the UK or Thailand as they must have saw the letter... Anyways it's been 5 days now and letter has still not arrived in the UK so it looks like they have stolen the letter too .. 

How did they get her phone number ? And what possible use or value is a letter to these people.

I reckon your letter is delayed unless you say what the GPO tracking info says. 

Scams in the UK as you describe have been going on in the UK for more than a year to my knowledge. 

If your mum listen to LBC she would of suspected straight away they are scammers. 

 

 

Edited May 19, 20215 yr by Kwasaki

I had a similar thing ( as I posted last week on Thaivisa) with Thaipost with both normal and registered post to the UK.

I was sent emails asking to pay more due to tax increases, they also asked for payment to be made by CC, I didn't pay but took the information ( email copies and postal receipts ) to my local post office where they check and agreed it was a scam.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/may/18/delivery-text-scams-the-nasty-new-wave-sweeping-the-uk

Probably just coincidence that your mother received a call at the time she was expecting a letter. This scam is just broadcast indiscriminately by text, email or phone call in the hope it will catch people either expecting, or curious about, a delivery purportedly from Royal Mail. I'm in the Philippines and I receive a text with this message on my UK Vodafone number at least once a month.

There seems to have been a surge in the number of scams happening in the UK because of Covid and lockdowns.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/may/10/uk-covid-related-cybercrime-fuels-15-fold-rise-in-scam-takedowns

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

How did they get her phone number ?

Easy have name and address on letter, therefore directory enquiries.

14 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

Easy have name and address on letter, therefore directory enquiries.

People still have landlines these days ? Thought they were long gone...lol

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

People still have landlines these days ? Thought they were long gone...lol

In hindsight maybe your right and they are to a major extent. Keep forgetting I've been here so long.

 

The number of households with a landline has fallen by four million since 2000, new research has revealed. There are now around 22million connections in the UK, down 15 per cent from its peak at the turn of the century when 95 per cent of homes had one, according to data from Uswitch.22 Apr 2564

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk › bills › article-9495695

2 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

In hindsight maybe your right and they are to a major extent. Keep forgetting I've been here so long.

 

The number of households with a landline has fallen by four million since 2000, new research has revealed. There are now around 22million connections in the UK, down 15 per cent from its peak at the turn of the century when 95 per cent of homes had one, according to data from Uswitch.22 Apr 2564

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk › bills › article-9495695

I think it fair and reasonable to assume though that many (most?) Over 50 will have one, under 40 less likely, just guessing though.

There are still, surprisingly, regions in the UK that have mobile signal issues too apparently.

3 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

Easy have name and address on letter, therefore directory enquiries.

It used to be 192 and FREE. Not any more!   555 for anyone without a SOH.

Edited May 19, 20215 yr by KannikaP

13 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

It used to be 192 and FREE. Not any more!

What difference does that make? If a scammer can strip your bank account by spending a few pennies to acquire your phone number it’s win win for him.

I have had this scam sent to me by email @gmail.com and now I get it by text on my phone so how did the scammer get my email and my phone number???
Oh silly me I was forgetting Google have both.

6 hours ago, KannikaP said:

555 for anyone without a SOH.

explain please, SOB I know, but SOH

1 hour ago, foreverlomsak said:

explain please, SOB I know, but SOH

Sense Of Humor

Answering the phone from untrusted numbers is becoming obsolete, just like emails.

 

Anything of importance, you will get a physical note or mail.

 

I stopped answering most calls already.

Reported yesterday 24 May 2021 on BBC Radio 4 regarding phone call messages asking people to pay extra charge on parcels, pay be card ....   Scam