Bracknell

Trading standards officers in Bracknell Forest are warning residents in the run up to Christmas to be wary of a scam which encourages people to call a premium phone line.

Cards which bear the logo PDS Parcel Delivery Services, are being delivered to Bracknell homes. They have been designed to look like a card a reputable company might issue about claiming delivery of a parcel.

In this case a company is claiming to be awaiting instructions to arrange a delivery and requests the recipient to call the telephone number to obtain a security confirmation code.

The telephone number - 0906 6611911 - is linked to a recorded message which will cost £15.

The company behind the scam, Studio Telecom, is based in Belize and was fined £20,000 by ICSTIS - the UK regulator for premium rate telephone services - last year after complaints about a similar 'promotion'.

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Bracknell Public Protection and Services, said: "This is a despicable con to play on people at any time but at Christmas it is somehow worse still. Don’t phone premium rate telephone numbers unless you are absolutely certain about what you are doing.

"If you get one of these PDS cards through your door, do not call the number shown, just destroy it."

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 020 7239 6655 or ICSTIS via www.icstis.org.uk

For general consumer advice and information, visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/tradingstandards or call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council