Royal Mail launches new anti-scam mail initiative

Royal Mail has launched another a new initiative to help protect consumers from “scam mail”.

In a statement sent to Post&Parcel today (12 April), Royal Mail said that it has successfully stopped more than 700,000 scam items from reaching its customers since November (when a new industry-wide code of practice was introduced to tackle the issue).

Now, as part of its ongoing strategy, Royal Mail will begin proactively contacting by Special Delivery households it believes are receiving high volumes of scam mail.

The latest anti-scam initiative will initially focus on the most-impacted customers – and will be extended in due course.

Royal Mail said that it will block and impound scam mail at its major distribution centres before it reaches the customer’s letterbox – while “legitimate business and personal mail will continue to be delivered to the customer in the usual way”.

“Impacted customers will be able to contact a dedicated Royal Mail helpline, email or Freepost address for more information if they have any concerns or arrange a home visit from Royal Mail staff,” said Royal Mail.

“Separately, working with an overseas postal operator, letters sent by UK residents to a known scam operation in Europe have been successfully intercepted. The letters, which contained cash sums, are being returned to the householders.”