Could this be a Royal Mail scam?

geek84 · May 2013

Hi Folks

Last Saturday I got my post delivered as usual at around mid-day. However, there was also a ‘Something for you’ card from Royal Mail delivered along with the normal post. On the card, it suggests that Royal Mail tried to deliver me an item marked ‘special delivery’ on that day but because nobody answered the door when they allegedly knocked to gain the required signature in order to deliver this item, I now need to collect it from their sorting office. However, I was in the house all day!!

The interesting thing about this is that about half an hour later,, a Royal Mail van drove into our street, did a three point turn and went straight out again without stopping.
Could this be a royal mail ‘scam’ in that they are trying to prove that they drove to my house in order to make this delivery but nobody was in to sign for this item? Of course, the two incidents could be completely unrelated.

Do you think I should collect this item from their sorting office without saying anything, or do you think it is worth taking things further and making a complaint?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Diddy Mau · May 2013

Hi Geek

I cant see this being a scam, as they are only asking for you to collect from sorting office.
these types of scams are general letters asking you to call a prime rate number, to arrange collection.

Others are done via email. Obvious scam.

Regarding the van doing a 3 point turn, easy that this person took a wrong turn.

Personally, I wouldn't complain, as where would this get you. they might have knocked, but you never heard them

geek84 · May 2013

Thanks for your advice, Diddy.

blobbyh · May 2013

Yes, it's a scam but one unfortunately being done by Royal Mail themselves. This has happened to me too - they've even claimed they've rung my extremely loud door bell while I've been in and yet I've heard nothing. (City Link are also pretty good at this with me twice having to do a 60 mile round trip to their depot near Gatwick).

A TV documentary aired a few years ago showed that many posties weren't even attempting to deliver small parcels and actually filmed them writing out the "We tried to deliver..." cards in the sorting office before they left. I also collected a package myself from the local sorting office last year and saw one postie doing the same thing... writing out his cards before leaving: he, like they, had no intention of delivering the packages.

I know a postie and while I understand that there are limits to the things they can physically carry, the pre-written card scam is blatant deception. The sender has paid for a delivery to our doors, not to the sorting office where we have to complete the final leg ourselves.

Complaining to the Royal Mail will get you nowhere however, they're simply not interested.

coojee · May 2013

blobbyh wrote: »

Yes, it's a scam but one unfortunately being done by Royal Mail themselves. This has happened to me too - they've even claimed they've rung my extremely loud door bell while I've been in and yet I've heard nothing. (City Link are also pretty good at this with me twice having to do a 60 mile round trip to their depot near Gatwick).

A TV documentary aired a few years ago showed that many posties weren't even attempting to deliver small parcels and actually filmed them writing out the "We tried to deliver..." cards in the sorting office before they left. I also collected a package myself from the local sorting office last year and saw one postie doing the same thing... writing out his cards before leaving: he, like they, had no intention of delivering the packages.

I know a postie and while I understand that there are limits to the things they can physically carry, the pre-written card scam is blatant deception. The sender has paid for a delivery to our doors, not to the sorting office where we have to complete the final leg ourselves.

Complaining to the Royal Mail will get you nowhere however, they're simply not interested.

Yep, this has happened to me as well, the card came through the door as I was stood right behind it so there's no way he could have rung the door bell. He'd scarpered by the time I got through the door though. I complained as well but to no avail.

Diddy Mau · May 2013

I stand correct. Sorry:thumbup1:

blobbyh · May 2013

Diddy Mau wrote: »

I stand correct. Sorry:thumbup1:

Nothing to apologise for Diddy, you could still be correct: the letter could indeed be junk mail if the recipient isn't expecting anything special to be delivered.

While I called the Royal Mail non-delivery scheme a scam, maybe I was being a little bit too harsh. I believe "Bone idle bastards" was the more accurate term I was looking for...

CeeJaySix · May 2013

Although I think the three-point turn is a red herring...if he's already been there to put the card through the door, why would he need to come into the road again? Or are you saying that the delivery drivers are getting the on-foot posties to deliver the cards with the regular mail so the drivers don't even have to do the round?

blobbyh · May 2013

Although I may have implied it was, there's nothing to suggest this was a big parcel, it may simply have just been a small package or letter where a signature was required.

Foot posties don't deliver big packages - vans still do that - but they will often deliver smaller items if they can be arsed to carry them on their bikes. And if they can't, they'll write out one of those infamous cards at the sorting office before they do their rounds. As Diddy said, the van 'incident' is more than likely not even be related to the attempted delivery and just coincidence.

Hopefully Geek will return to solve this boggling mystery soon.

Could this be a Royal Mail scam?

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