Trading Standards Offices around the UK are investigating the
fraud, which involved a mailshot that targeted thousands of UK
households. This took the form of a ‘delivery card’, asking
recipients to call a premium rate number to rearrange the delivery
of a parcel.
As the misleading message was sent at a time when recipients
were likely to be expecting parcels through the post, many took the
bait – only to find themselves with an expensive telephone bill,
but no parcel.
The regulator confirmed today that it had taken action to
terminate existing services and to freeze revenue payments in four
cases.
However, ICSTIS expressed concern that it had received calls
from networks with “clients” wishing to operate other “services” of
this kind.
“We have advised strongly against this and I [sic] want to put
all networks on notice that this sort of activity is going to be
seen as seriously misleading if not fraudulent and dealt with
accordingly,” said the watchdog, in a statement.
ICSTIS urged network operators to do all they could to satisfy
themselves that their clients were not looking to operate such
services, suggesting that if in doubt, they continually check
promotional material and monitor numbers as soon as they are set
up.
The scam is being referred to the police, the Office of Fair
Trading and relevant Trading Standards departments.
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