Scamwatch: Christmas delivery fraud

Stay one step ahead of the fraudsters with our series of articles giving you the lowdown on the scams they use to trick people out of their hard-earned cash - and how to avoid being taken in by them.

This week, we explain why the weeks leading up to Christmas are a bumper period for unscrupulous fraudsters.

How does it work?
The number of scams doing the rounds often rises over the festive period, when fraudsters step up their efforts to rob people of their cash - and their Christmas presents.

Over recent weeks, there have been a number of warnings issued about Christmas delivery scams.

In one case in Grimsby, a householder was asked to make a small payment to a delivery man who turned up with flowers and wine - supposedly to confirm that the wine had been given to an adult of legal drinking age and not just left on the doorstep.

But the card machine used to take the payment was in fact designed to strip the card of all the information needed to clone it, including the cardholder's PIN. And a large amount of money was quickly stolen from his account using a "dummy" card.

Courier company Hermes, which delivers for Amazon, was also caught up in a Christmas delivery scandal when a customer's CCTV footage showed one of its drivers leaving a note but no parcel when delivering an Xbox - a present for the customer's little boy.

How can I avoid being caught out?
It is a good idea to be wary of gifts and parcels that turn up out of the blue.

Issuing a statement about the "dummy" card scam, the Safer Neighbourhoods group in northern Lincolnshire said: "Please be cautious of any deliveries that you have not ordered or which are for residents or addresses of people you do not know, especially at this time of year."

When you are expecting a delivery, it also makes sense to try to be in when it arrives, and to check its whereabouts using online tracking systems while you wait.

I've been defrauded. What should I do?
If a parcel you are expecting fails to arrive - or is not where you have been told to find it - the first thing to do is to contact the company you ordered it from.

The Consumer Rights Act states that goods must be delivered within the agreed timeframe, and you may be able to get a full refund if this is not the case.

If you are caught out by a card copying scam run by a supposed delivery firm, inform your bank or card provider immediately and report the crime to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040).