Eight men arrested over Royal Mail delivery scam texts
Eight men have been arrested in early morning raids across England as part of an investigation into scam texts claiming to be from Royal Mail.
The operations on Monday in London, Coventry, Birmingham and Colchester took place during a week of action by officers from the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU).
Seven of those arrested have been released under investigation, while one suspect from Enfield, north London, has been charged and remanded in custody ahead of a court appearance in June.
Royal Mail is just one of the delivery firms used by criminals in messages designed to trick people into giving away details which can be used to commit further frauds.
The texts tell recipients there is an unpaid fee on a parcel and that they need to pay it before redelivery can be arranged. Links direct them to fake websites where they are asked for personal and financial details that can be used later by the fraudsters.
The Guardian has heard from people who followed a link in a text and were later contacted by scammers who tricked them out of thousands of pounds.
