Post Office warns against ‘fake parcel’ scam

The SA Post Office (SAPO) has warned the public against falling victim to a scam ‘designed to manipulate the receiver to pay money into a fraudulent account’.

This follows numerous complaints from people who have received emails requesting them to pay a fee to receive a parcel.

‘The email appears to originate from the Post Office. It states the parcel can only be released once a clearance fee has been paid, and includes a link.

‘Should the receiver click on the link, a page requesting payment opens where the receiver can make a payment to ‘release’ the fictitious parcel,’ said SAPO spokesperson Johan Kruger.

How to spot a fake Post Office email or message:
• The Post Office never asks for import duties or clearance fees in advance
• If there are customs fees payable on a parcel from abroad, the client pays the fees when they collect the parcel from the Post Office counter
• The Post Office never requests your bank account number or an online payment for customs duties
• The tracking number on the message is invalid when entered into the postal tracking website
• The Post Office sends customers an SMS or a collection slip when they have a parcel waiting for collection at a Post Office branch. This parcel should be collected as soon as possible to ensure it is not returned to sender. Post Office branches have separate queues, so customers collecting a parcel will go into a shorter, faster queue.
Anyone with information about postal crimes is urged to contact the Post Office toll-free crime buster hotline on 0800 020070.