Police fall for Internet hoax!

[Mojo]

After recieving an Email from my Aunt today: -

Please pass on...
Royal mail postal scam
This scam has been confirmed by our Royal Mail account manager and is especially relevant as Christmas is fast approaching:

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 0207 2396655 or ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator) at www.icstis.org.uk, or your local trading standards office.

and having recieved similar chain letters from her before which she has unwittingly passed on, I thought I'd do a bit of investigation into it. Not only is there no such call charge as £15 for a premium rate line, but ICTIS and Sophos have confirmed it as a hoax.

After a bit more Googling, I found this on a Police Force's website: -

POLICE WARN OF PARCEL DELIVERY SERVICE SCAM

Police are urging members of the public to be on the alert about a new parcel delivery scam, which tricks people into making a premium rate phonecall - to arrange delivery of a parcel they never even ordered.

The scam operates by sending the unsuspecting householder a card from a company called PDS (ParcelDelivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and to call a specific phone number. When the householder rings the number they start to hear a recorded message and are thought to be automatically billed £15 for the phone call.

The fraudulent scam is currently under investigation by premium rate phone service regulator ICSTIS and the Trading Standards Office. The PSNI fears the scam will take in thousands of victims and are advising the public to be extremely vigilant. They would also urge anyone who may receive a card with these details to contact your local trading standards office or ICSTIS at http://www.icstis.org.uk.

http://www.sophos.com/security/hoaxes/parcel_delivery.html ign3: :glasses6:

 

[Daniel]

The following chain letter has been distributed widely. The chain letter contains factual inaccuracies as a £15 telephone tariff does not exist.

Important

If you receive this or a similar message, please do not forward it to your friends and colleagues. Forwarding unsolicited chain letters wastes time and bandwidth.

 

[metrocammel]

Yeh, I recieved this chain letter as well. As with all chain letters I recieve I just deleted it.

 

[Tom]

"if u doz nt snd dis 2 lik 10 ppl bi 12 den u wil hav bad luk 4 rst ov u life"

 

[Derek]

"if u doz nt snd dis 2 lik 10 ppl bi 12 den u wil hav bad luk 4 rst ov u life"

Great mimic Tom.

 

[Coxster]

"if u doz nt snd dis 2 lik 10 ppl bi 12 den u wil hav bad luk 4 rst ov u life"

Now THATS a waste of bandwidth

 

[compsci]

The maximum charge for a premium rate line is currently £1.50 a minute. It is possible to identify the charge from the initial digits, but I can't remember the pattern.

 

[CallySleeper]

"if u doz nt snd dis 2 lik 10 ppl bi 12 den u wil hav bad luk 4 rst ov u life"

Thanks Tom.

 

[Tom]

YAIPSABT.

Yet Another Informative Public Service Announcement By Tom.

 

[devon_metro]

You will die a slow painfull death!

 

[Death]

You will die a slow painfull death!

How?
I know that I can be quite painful at times (Never let me tell any jokes! ) especially towards chavs that really get on my nerves...

...But slow? I don't really follow that theory considering that I walk at about 8mph (Double the speed that most people do) and I always use the fastest trains that my ticket is valid upon!

if u doz nt snd dis 2 lik 10 ppl bi 12 den u wil hav bad luk 4 rst ov u life

Isn't there a forum rule against the use of "txt spk"?

Farewell...
>> Death <<

 

[Jordy]

You will die a slow painfull death!

So: YAIPSABT YWDASPD