collectmyparcel.com has fallen prey to a fraudster and many other businesses are currently experiencing the same exploitative problem. Here’s what we have found out so far, please warn others.

The scam

The scammer places an “X for sale” ad on a classified listings page online – tickets for an event, a new laptop, iPad etc – it could be anything. When someone shows an interest in buying the item, the scammer says they will send the goods to a collectmyparcel.com office in Vancouver, Canada or sometimes the US or even the UK, and the buyer should send payment via Western Union to “X company” (not called collectmyparcel.com). Once payment has been received, the scammer sends the buyer an invoice with the collectmyparcel.com logo and our supposed address in Vancouver/Canada, saying that ‘collectmyparcel.com’ will deliver the goods. Of course the product for sale and the collectmyparcel.com fake office in Vancouver don’t exist and the invoice is also a fake.

Vancouver scam URL

In a further attempt to convince the buyer that the sale is genuine, the scammer copies the web page, so in this instance they copied our Home page. Of course they can’t use our exact domain because we own it, so they make up a new one, which will be something along the lines of:

http://ca-collectmyparcel.com.com
http://can-collectmyparcel.com
http://bcdepots-collectmyparcel.com
http://vanc-collectmyparcel.com

(these are the ones we are aware of and have managed to get removed from the Internet by contacting the domain registrar).

The site looks exactly like ours, but it isn’t ours.

Vancouver and Canada

The key link between current scams like this is Vancouver and Canada, but it could be anywhere.

For advice on shopping safely online visit Get Safe Online for more information on security and dealing only with reputable sellers.

If you hear of any more collectmyparcel.com scams, let us know at customer@collectmyparcel.com, so we can take immediate action.

Yodel, one of our parcel courier partners, has this week announced it has won another award for Your Call – its employee magazine.

On 15^th June 2012 the Yodel team were presented with their Institute of Internal Communications (IOIC) National Award at the Park Lane Hilton in London. The team was named as a class winner in the newsletter category.

Yodel report that the IOIC judges described the newsletter as:

“A small, but beautifully formed, publication. Everything looks like it’s in the right place and the content is targeted at the workforce. There’s a welcome balance between people and policy and many much bigger corporate publications would do well to follow its example. There are some fun features too, which adds to the readers’ enjoyment.”

The newsletter was first launched in December 2010 and was used as a tool to build a community and a shared sense of values when Yodel was formed following the acquisition of DHL Domestic by Home Delivery Network.

Yodel’s Human Resources Director Richard Wells said: “We are extremely proud to receive this latest recognition for our employee magazine, which is further credit to the hard work of the teams within Yodel and Pages Creative. Your Call is an essential publication that goes to all our employees, many of whom are mobile and widely dispersed. It helps inform and drive engagement in all areas of the business.”

To read more simply, visit this link: http://www.yodel.co.uk/about/read-all-about-us/yodel-scoops-ioic-national-award-for-first-class-newsletter.aspx

Is this the way forward for SME’s?

City Link thought so when they launched their new alternative mail product called Click&Post.

City Link say their new Click&Post service will offer businesses a simpler way to send their letters. What’s more, they’ll be able to do so for less than the price of a second-class stamp.

The Click &Post service is threefold and the price includes:

1. Print and fold a letter.
2. Insert the letter into an envelope.
3. Delivery to the end user.

Price (this includes postage, stationery, printing and labour):

For example, a single black and white print letter posted in a C5 envelope costs 39p +VAT.

Benefits:

It would seem that in addition to the business saving money, they could also save time by simplifying their mail distribution by combining printing, envelop stuffing and posting.

Sales and Marketing Director of City Link Tim Brown said: “Our Click&Post Service is a clear example of City Link’s strategy to develop a portfolio of services which not only meet the needs of its customers but deliver tangible benefits… Click&Post offers far more than delivery – it takes the hassle out of sending mail. It is ideal for small businesses, freeing up their staff from time-consuming admin work to concentrate on the core business. Whether you have a single invoice or a complete mailshot, Click&Post can handle all the strain – all you have to do is compose the letter.”

In addition, City Link says you can set up their new service for free and you don’t need to worry about a big IT installation.

You can read the full story at this link: http://www.city-link.co.uk/press/2012/news_299784.html, and we wish City Link well with their new venture.