Scammers are targeting households with fake Royal Mail parcel delivery cards which trick residents into paying money.
The cards, which are in Royal Mail’s signature red colour, are nearly identical to the postal service’s notes which are posted through letterboxes when a package cannot be delivered.
But the bogus ‘something for you’ cards lack the Royal Mail logo and carry a fake phone number which dials through to a scammer.
Residents who phone the 0208 number are asked to give their details and consignment number before being charged £45.
Action Fraud has now issued a warning to residents about the slips, urging people to check for the Royal Mail logo.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “The Royal Mail security team is looking into this incident as a matter of urgency.
“Customers should check delivery cards very carefully to ensure they are genuine, and remain vigilant.
“Although this card is similar to one of our Something For You cards, the Royal Mail logo is crucially missing.
"Customers should also consider whether they are expecting a delivery from the company named on the card.”
The spokeswoman added: “If any customer thinks they have been a victim of fraud, they should contact Citizens Advice or Action Fraud for advice and guidance.”
