Post Office warns public of parcel delivery scam

The Post Office has assured the public that it does not require customers to make any payment before parcels are released.

The South Africa Post Office (Sapo) has warned the public of a parcel delivery scam designed to defraud them.

"Members of the public receive an emailed letter from a company purporting to be affiliated to 'Speed Messenger Services' using an adaptation of the Post Office's Speed Services logo. The letter demands payment for import duty on parcels before the parcels can be delivered," the Post Office said in a statement on Friday.

The Post Office has assured the public that it does not require customers to make any payment before parcels are released.

"If VAT or any other fees are payable on a parcel, this is paid at a Post Office counter at the time when the parcel is collected. The customer will receive a valid receipt for this payment," the Post Office said.

In cases where the Post Office has the cellphone number of the recipient, the customer will receive an SMS requesting him or her to collect the parcel at a specific post office branch.

The SMS will not request that funds be deposited into an account.

Members of the public that have information regarding this scam, are requested to call the SA Police Service or the Post Office's crime buster hotline on 0800 020 070.

The Post Office advises the public to ignore communication of this nature.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)