Scam Alert: Why Choosing the Right Courier Matters

Being able to browse from literally any website you want and order items that aren’t available locally is one of the biggest reasons why online retailers are busy outstripping brick and mortar shops.

But, online shopping carries some risks that buying things in store doesn’t – the biggest of which is the shipping and handling process. Unfortunately when it comes to shipping and transport, there’s an increasing trend of scam courier companies that try and con money out of people who are expecting packages.

The method of the scam is that a relatively unknown (and totally fictitious) courier company – such as Example A – will get in touch with someone who’s awaiting a package and claim that the package has incurred customs fees or penalties. Then they claim you have to pay a ‘cost’ to release the package – which is the scam amount. They even generate seemingly real waybill slips (despite the sketchy logo), such as the below:

What’s even more important to remember is that in the age of virtual relationships, their target are those involved with online partners. The scam artists’ contact women who have meet partners online, and who allege they’re sending the women gifts that get ‘caught up in customs’. In reality, these guys are trawling dating sites and luring people into being scammed. There’s no gift, and they’re really just trying to bait people into paying the bogus customs fees – after which you’ll never hear from them again.

You’re probably thinking: “who would fall for this!?”. Well, a lot of people actually, and the sad truth is that many South Africans are being conned by this.

If you’re ever ordering anything and you’ve got to use a courier, make sure it’s a reputable one. If you’re ordering products from overseas but the companies don’t ship locally, then PostBox Courier is your safest bet if you want to prevent yourself from getting fleeced!

Registering with Postbox Courier is FREE, quick and easy and once you’ve registered you’ll get your very own delivery address in the UK, Hong Kong, US and Australia.

To find out more about Postbox Courier and just how easy the service is to use, read our full review here or visit the PostBox Courier website here.