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Author Topic: PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Scam  (Read 10363 times)

timp

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PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Scam
« on: November 30, 2006, 11:14:58 PM »

Has the following email the other day:

Can you circulate this around especially as Xmas is fast approaching - it
has been confirmed by Royal Mail.

The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel
Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and
that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number). DO
NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize. If you
call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already
have been billed ?15 for the phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail
Fraud on 02072396655 or ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator) at
www.icstis.org.uk
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oldfogy

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Re: PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Scam
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2006, 12:28:57 AM »

Tim:

Although I have no knowledge of the above scam (or so called scam).

My only comment being the ?15.00 connection charge.
It has been said on other forums from people more knowledgeable than myself of whom have researched other such e-mails, that it is not possible to incur a instant ?15.00 charge.

My only guess is that whilst the e-mail may or may not be genuine the ?15.00 figure has been inflated to dramatise the effect of these notes.

Although, I for one appreciate the reminder to be vigilant with regards to these type of scams especially at this time of year.
So thanks again for the reminder.
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kitz

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Re: PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Scam
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2006, 12:41:49 AM »

Im normally wary of these "Urban Legends".....  but it appears that this one is true.

All be it the charge is actually a ?1.50 per min fee .. and they manage to keep you hanging on the phone for several minutes asking questions - which racks up the call cost.

Details.
http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/pds.asp
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oldfogy

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Re: PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Scam
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2006, 03:36:45 PM »

According to ComputerActive magazine issue 230, page 7:

The so called PDS scam:

"Quote"
Hoax sparks public alarm:
ComputerActive launched an investigation and in 45 minutes found warnings about the non-existing scam posted last month on a number of websites, including those run by West Yorkshire and Surrey police and the MP for Lanark and Hamilton East, Jim Hood.
Although a scam involving a company calling itself PDS did exist last year, this was stopped by the watchdog for premium rate numbers, Icstis.
"end Quote"

There is also further info on the topic, but this in my mind is the essential part.
So yet another urban myth/legend is now put to bed. (or should be). :sleep:
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EVIL-SCOTSMAN

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Re: PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Scam
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2006, 09:11:25 AM »

I dunno about not being able to instantly incur a ?15 charge, as years back I used to buy a shitload of playstation games, and with one of the games I ordered off the net I got a booklet along with it and it had a list  of ps games and if you dialled the number that the game was associated with and left your name and address they would send out the game to you, it wasnt a scam and I got all the games I ordered

many a time I wasted ?45 within 5 minutes just to get new games and get the price added to my phonebill when I never had time to go into town and pick them up.  so it is very possible, but this was about 10ish years ago, maybe security has evolved and made it harder for huge charges to be levied within seconds ???

How possible it is to do such things today is unknown to me but I remember back then it would take about 5 minutes and ?45 quid would be added to your phonebill...
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oldfogy

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Re: PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) Scam
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2006, 01:11:43 PM »

Maybe thats why the like of ICSTIS the phone regulating body was set-up to stop this type of thing happening nowadays.
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