Withheld mail by worker gives rise to identity fraud worries

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Withheld mail by postal worker gives rise to 'identity fraud' concerns in Ballyclare

http://www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk/news ... 5504164.jp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ROYAL Mail have suspended a postal worker and instigated an investigation after a significant number of items of mail failed to be delivered to addresses in the Ballyclare area for a period of months.

A Ballyclare resident, who did not wish to be named, contacted the Times this week to express concern over why a Royal Mail employee deliberately withheld certain items of post from him for almost five months.

The man got in touch with the Times on Thursday, after he received a plastic bag through his mailbox containing a bundle of letters dating back to March this year.

"Inside this plastic bag, and along with my post, there was a letter from Royal Mail apologising for damage to the mail and explaining that it had been withheld from delivery by a Royal Mail employee.

"The letter stated that Royal Mail took a zero tolerance approach to mistreatment of mail and there was a Customer Services telephone number to ring, if you wanted to speak to someone about the matter further. I rang the number twice but got no answer."

The man went on to say that when he checked the letters that had been kept back, the majority of them were bank statements and credit card statements. He added that he had received other mail in the intervening months.

"The mail that was delievered to me in the plastic bag did not appear to be tampered with or damaged, but of course that doesn't mean it wasn't steamed open. And what worries me most is whether my details been used for the purposes of identity fraud.

"I spoke to a person in the Ballyclare Delivery Office about this, but he was unable to reassure me that my details hadn't been used for identity fraud."

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: "We can confirm that employee based at Ballyclare Delivery Office has been suspended in relation to the withholding of mail and that an investigation into this incident is continuing.

"Royal Mail and its people have a zero tolerance approach to any instances of delaying the mail and work together to ensure that such cases are detected and dealt with as swiftly as possible.

"All items recovered by our security team are currently being delivered to customers but we would ask that anyone with specific concerns contact our customer services team on 08457 740 740."

[DGP1]

What I don't understand about posties who do this is how do they think they'll get away with it? They must take time off and during that time post will be delivered to those houses that he has been delaying

[andy2007]

I don't get it either. But the sooner they're weeded out, the better.

By the way. I like your new Avatar.

[DGP1]

I don't get it either. But the sooner they're weeded out, the better.

By the way. I like your new Avatar.

I think it perfectly sums up RM at the moment.