Maidenhead & Windsor

Maidenhead Royal Borough trading standards officers are warning residents to be on their guard against scam postcards currently being delivered to homes across the borough.

The postcards claim there is a digital camera awaiting collection – but Maidenhead householders need to dial a premium rate number to arrange delivery. At £1.50 a minute the call will cost nearly £9. So far no-one has actually received a camera.

Thousands of households across the UK have received this mailshot over the Christmas period. The cards, which are similar in style to those left by Royal Mail, are from a company calling itself Parcel Delivery Services (PDS). Recent enquires into similar scams have traced the company behind them, Studio Telecom, to an address in Belize in South America.

Steve Johnson, Maidenhead Royal Borough trading standards manager, advised: "If you are not expecting a parcel be very wary about cards like this. Any phone number starting 090 will be a premium rate number and you can quickly run up a large bill. The premium rate telephone watchdog ICSTIS is investigating this company and we hope they will be able to shut down this scam."

Anyone who receives these postcards is advised to telephone Maidenhead trading standards on 01628 683802.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead