DPD Postman Scam On Facebook Marketplace: Beware Of These Red Flags

The SMS phishing – or ‘smishing’ – scam text claiming to be from DPD is a scam. Their aim is to steal your money and personal details. It happens when scammers use fake delivery messages and ask for money on Facebook Marketplace claiming to be a DPD Postman.

This article will reveal how this scam work, possible ways to spot them and how to protect yourself.

Exposing The DPD Postman Scam

This type of scam happens on Facebook marketplace. Fraudsters imitate delivery drivers from DPD to trick people into giving up their money and sensitive information.

The text includes a link to arrange redelivery and pay the fee. If you pay up, a few days later, someone claiming to be from your bank calls, saying there are suspicious transactions on your account. They claim that your account might be compromised and tell you to transfer your money to a “secure” account. But in reality, it’s the fraudsters’ account. Sometimes, they even get enough info to take out a loan in your name and transfer it to their account.

If you’re worried about a DPD Postman scam on Facebook Marketplace, look out for sellers who want you to pay you using wire transfers or gift cards instead of using safer methods like PayPal.

Victims Of The Scam Speak Out

Lots of people have fallen prey to this scam and unfortunately revealed their sensitive info, we picked up some experiences from Reddit

i’ve just had the same problem today and they are saying DPD can press a lawsuit which is obviously false, before doing my research i unfortunately gave them my personal details. don’t go by what they say

Just had an offer from “Sandra” offering me an additional £20 to guarantee the item I’m selling. Told me the DPD guy would pick up and give me cash. Smelled a rat. Asked where she lived as I couldn’t find her on Facebook. It’s gone quiet.

However, I was stupid enough to not realise early enough and already gave “her” my name, address and email. And of course I cannot unsend for her side 🙁 Has anyone faced issues with this info out there? I am freaking out quite bad…

What Is DPD Doing About This Scam

DPD is currently working towards settling this issue, DPD said: ‘We continue to stress that only emails sent from one of three DPD email addresses are genuine, these are dpd.co.uk, dpdlocal.co.uk and dpdgroup.co.uk.

‘With texts, we advise consumers to double check the links within the notifications to confirm that they are legitimate. These links should only be for www.dpd.co.uk/ or www.dpdlocal.co.uk/. We have worked with Action Fraud and regional police focus in the last couple of years on awareness campaigns and will continue to do so.’

Red Flags To Watch Out For

1. Be careful if the seller asks for payment in unusual ways, like with gift cards or wire transfers.
2. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers often use super low prices to trick people.
3. Watch out for sellers who won’t meet you in person or give you more info about the item. Honest sellers are usually happy to answer questions and meet up safely.

Here’s How To Protect Yourself From Text Scams:

1. Don’t Click Links: Avoid clicking on any links in suspicious texts. They could contain malware or harmful software.
2. Keep Personal Info Safe: Be cautious about sharing sensitive info. Legitimate companies won’t ask for your personal or banking details via text.
3. Check with the Company: If you’re unsure, reach out to the supposed sender directly using the contact details on their official website.
4. Don’t Reply: Ignoring fake texts, calls, or links helps keep scammers in the dark about your number being active.
5. Report It: If you receive a fake text, forward it to 7726 for free. This service shares info with law enforcement to help combat scams.

Conclusion

Beware of the facebook marketplace scam circulating online. If you got scammed by someone pretending to be a DPD postman, contact the police immediately and give them all the details about what happened.