Highland Council Trading Standards team issues Royal Mail scam text message alert as fraudsters target Highland residents to find out information such as bank account details and passwords

Highland Council Trading Standards team have been alerted to a smishing – the fraudulent practice of sending text messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers – scam that is currently targetting Highland residents.

The scam involves a text message claiming to be from Royal Mail advising the recipient that they are holding a piece of mail due to unpaid postage. In order to deliver the item, the recipient is invited to click on a link to make a payment for the outstanding postage. The recipient is then asked for their name, address and bank details.

Mark McGinty, trading standards team leader, said: “This appears to be a smishing scam which is a type of scam that uses a text message in order to obtain personal and financial information from unsuspecting victims.

“I would urge everyone to be wary of unexpected text messages claiming to be from organisations such as Royal Mail or courier companies and to avoid clicking on any links unless they are 100 percent sure that the message is genuine.”

Outstanding fees for unpaid postage can be paid online via the Royal Mail website.

For further advice consumers can contact the Scottish Government’s consumer advice provider or if you feel you are a victim of a scam please contact Police Scotland on 101.