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The SA Post Office has become aware of emails, text messages and MMS messages meant to convince the receiver to pay money into a fraudulent account.

The latest SMS message even includes the name of person who is receiving the message, and either states that the address of the receiver is illegible, or that the parcel can only be released once a clearance fee has been paid.

The emails and messages differ in format, but they all contain a link. Should the received click on the link, a page requesting payment opens where the receiver can make a payment to ‘release’ a fictitious parcel.

This is how you can spot a message or email that is not from the Post Office:

• The Post Office never asks for import duties or clearance fees in advance.  If there are customs fees payable on a parcel from abroad, the client pays the fees when they collect the parcel from the Post Office counter.  
• The Post Office never requests your bank account number.
• The tracking number on the message is invalid when entered into the postal tracking website.

The Post Office sends customers an SMS or a collection slip when they have a parcel waiting for collection at a post office branch.  This parcel should be collected as soon as possible to make sure it is not returned to the sender.  Post Office branches have separate queues, so if you collect a parcel you will not have to queue with customers collecting a social grant.

Members of the public who receive the notice should delete it immediately. The Post Office encourages members of the public with any information about postal crimes to contact its toll-free crime buster hotline on 0800 020 070.

Issued by South African Post Office