A bank has warned about a Royal Mail scam that is reportedly costing victims their life savings.
Monzo published a series of tweets advising customers of the scam after a number of people were targeted in recent days.
Targets receive a text message from an unknown number, which claims to have been sent from Royal Mail.
The message alerts them that their parcel is being held at the delivery firm’s depot due to an ‘unpaid shipping fee’.
It warns the user that the fees must be paid by a certain date or their parcel will be ‘returned’.
Users are then taken to a page that looks very similar to a Royal Mail page asking for personal details, such as bank card information and National Insurance number.
Royal Mail urged people who receive the message to report it as soon as they get it.
Replying to one Twitter user, the company said: “This isn’t one of our messages. We’ll only send SMS notification where the sender has requested this and uses a product that offers this service.
“If a fee is due on an item, we’d leave a grey card to confirm this, we wouldn’t send a text.
“Please reports suspicious texts via the following form."
Monzo said that the scam is costing people their life savings’ and has given tips to ensure that Scots are safeguarded against this and other phishing scams.
The number used in this scam looks like a regular phone number - but scammers can fake official numbers so people cannot count on this alone.
A dodgy link used by the scammer has been disguised by using a capital ‘i’ to make it look like an ‘L’.
Information inputted into the website can be used to gain the trust of unsuspecting victims and can trick them into sending money into a ‘safe’ account.
Monzo says that they can pretend to be the police, the government, or event your bank.
The bank added: “You could end up sending your savings, your bank balance, or taking out credit and sending it to them.
“Phishing scams are particularly cruel since they rely on using trusted names to steal your money. Always keep an eye out for the warning signs.
“That goes for us too. If you receive a call or text from Monzo that doesn’t feel right, please always check with us. It’s safer to hand up and contact us directly if you’re not sure.”
