Parcel frauds on increase in France: How to stay alert and avoid them
Scammers are out in force as shopping intensifies in the run up to Christmas
Scammers are out in force even more than normal in the major shopping weeks before Christmas
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Parcel and delivery scams are on the increase in France as Christmas approaches and shoppers flock to online stores for holiday preparation and Christmas presents.
“Parcel scams are back with a vengeance in the run-up to Christmas,” said the scam alert community Signal-Arnaques in a statement reported by 01net.
“[These scams] usually return before Black Friday, during Christmas and right up to the winter sales,” warned Jean-Jacques Latour, head of cybersecurity at the anti-scam government website cybermalveillance.gouv.fr, in an interview with Le Parisien.
“During these two or three months, there is always an upsurge in these incidents”, he said.
Read also: Watch out for this scam parcel text in run up to Christmas in France
Scammers have also been reported in greater numbers after successive waves of large-scale cyber attacks in recent months. This has meant that greater amounts of personal data have been shared with online fraudsters, making scams easier.
Scams at this time of year tend to be ‘phishing’ attacks. These are when fraudsters send emails or texts that look as though they come from legitimate companies and are designed to steal data, including identifying details and bank data.
The scams usually include a text or email claiming that a parcel is awaiting delivery but cannot be delivered.
The text or message claims that a payment must first be made, or extra details are needed, to finalise delivery. The scammers may claim that there are extra postage costs, taxes or customs duties to be paid.
The would-be victim is then asked to click on the link included in the message. This will take them to a website - which often appears very similar to the legitimate company - which is designed to steal the user's personal and banking details.
Read more: New scam alert in France over ‘Your parcel has been sent’ texts
Read also: Scam alert in France: 'Parcel does not fit into your letterbox'
Read more: How to avoid scams around ‘mystery parcel deals’ in France
Rise in Mondial Relay scams
One French company Mondial Relay, which specialises in parcel delivery, has reported a rise in scammers impersonating it. Some 20 fake domain names (website addresses) trying to impersonate the real company have been reported.
The websites may appear very similar to the genuine site, including using similar colours, logos, and font type.
Tips to avoid being scammed
Be alert to scams. At this time of year scammers will send many texts and emails to people hoping that just one might land. If you have been shopping online be on your guard and be sceptical of any texts or emails that claim you have to pay more for delivery. This is rarely true.
Double check all details. Many URLs and websites contain some kind of error that can help tip off would-be victims to the fact that they are not legitimate. Double-checking domain names, logo quality, spelling, grammar etc on these sites can also help reveal that they are not real.
Check all parcel details are correct. For example you may have a tracking number or delivery number. A scammer is very unlikely to know (or even mention) this number which can be an indication that a message is fake.
Do not click on any links contained within text messages or emails. Unless you are 100% sure of their legitimacy it is better to navigate to the legitimate website yourself by typing it into the browser, and checking the supposed ‘payment details needed’ manually.
Contact the company or authority directly before paying. For example if you receive a message that appears to come from Mondial Relay, La Poste, or Colissimo etc and you believe you do genuinely have a parcel coming from them, it is best to check directly before paying any extra fee.
When in doubt, do not pay or enter any details. If the extra payment is legitimate (for example, there really are extra customs fees to pay), the legitimate company will contact you, possibly in different ways (e.g. a headed letter), rather than through a single, unexpected text or email. A legitimate company will usually direct you to their website manually to pay, rather than ask you to click on a link.
