The SA Post Office has again warned customers about a parcel delivery scam – the second time this month it has issued such a warning.
In the latest scam, people receive emails, purportedly from the post office, saying a parcel is ready for collection, once money is paid into an account.
In a statement issued earlier this week, the post office said the email contains some spelling mistakes and the sender’s email address is not a post office address.
“Some of the emails include an attachment which plants a virus on the customer’s computer to extract personal information from the computer. Customers are advised not to click on any attachment if they receive an email of this nature,” said spokeswoman Martie Gilchrist.
The post office said it does not require customers to make any bank deposit before parcels were released.
“In some instances, SARS levy import tax on parcels from abroad and the import tax must then paid at the post office counter. The customer will receive a receipt for this payment,” said Ms Gilchrist.
Instead, it said customers would get an SMS advising that a parcel was ready for collection. “The SMS will not request that funds be deposited into an account,” she said.
Earlier this month, con artists contacted customers of the Lesotho Postal Service to say a parcel intended for delivery to such clients was kept by the SA Post Office and ready for delivery, once money had been paid into a fraudulently opened bank account.
People with information on the scam can call the police or the post office’s crime hotline at 0800 020 070.
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