Royal Mail to step up attack on scam mail

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Company to coordinate industry-wide response to clamp down on scourge of scam mail

Royal Mail is stepping up its attack on scam mail by co-ordinating an industry-wide response to tackle fraudulent mail at its source

This substantial package of measures complements the significant resources that the company has already invested in fighting fraudulent mail

Measures include launch of an industry-wide code of practice, developed by Royal Mail and supported by firms including Whistl and UK Mail
Specific anti-scam mail clauses to be included in all of Royal Mail’s bulk mail contracts
Engagement at a European level with other postal operators
Commissioning of dedicated research into postal scams

Following a meeting (Monday October 17, 2016) with the Minister for Business Margot James MP, Royal Mail is stepping up its attack on scam mail by coordinating an industry-wide response to tackle fraudulent mail at its source. This substantial package of measures complements the significant resources that the company has already invested in fighting fraudulent mail. This includes our joint initiative with the National Trading Standards Scams Team.

A Comprehensive Package of Measures
The package of measures includes:
An industry-wide code of practice, developed by Royal Mail and supported by firms including Whistl and UK Mail. We have written to all of the UK access operators and asked them to sign up to the code
Specific anti-scam mail clauses will be included in all of Royal Mail’s bulk mail contracts. These clauses will enable us to refuse to carry mail that is deemed to be fraudulent

Engaging at a European level with other postal operators. This is about seeking to attack scam mail on a pan-European basis
The commissioning of dedicated research by Bournemouth University into postal scams. We believe this will be one of the most comprehensive pieces of research into the area. This report will be shared with the rest of the industry and law enforcement agencies too

The Code of Practice
Companies signing up to the Code of Practice will voluntarily commit to meeting the following obligations:
Actively work together, and with law enforcement agencies, to tackle the scourge of scam mail
The proactive sharing of intelligence of confirmed scam mailings and suspected scam mailings
We will terminate any mailing identified by law enforcement agencies as being used to attempt to scam the recipients
Include anti-scam terms and conditions in contracts

Closer ties with the broader communications community and law enforcement agencies to prevent scams through letters, electronic communications, telephone calls and other means

We will actively work together as an industry to mitigate the risk posed by scam mail and to support initiatives to identify people at risk of scammers. We will provide help and support for victims of scams by sharing information received in our enquiries with appropriate partners including: the National Trading Standards Scams Team, law enforcement and other agencies.

In the UK, Royal Mail will also seek to raise awareness of the risks among its customers to encourage the reporting of suspected fraudulent mail. The company will increase its participation in a nationwide postal scams’ awareness week as part of the Citizens Advice Scams Awareness Month in July. A coordinated approach across all of the key communications channels will also be part of the fight against scamming. Royal Mail will work with other industries, companies and government bodies to make this happen.

Stephen Agar, Managing Director of Consumer and Network Access at Royal Mail said: “Scams are a scourge on our society, Royal Mail is doing all it can to protect our customers from these heartless criminals. Today we are announcing a comprehensive set of measures to tackle this blight on our industry.”
Royal Mail will drive these initiatives alongside the work it has already done to protect its customers from fraudulent items of mail. In 2014, the company set up a joint initiative with the National Trading Standards Scams Team introducing a new process for terminating the mailings of companies that send fraudulent mail. Since the launch of the joint initiative, Royal Mail has blocked many mass mailings and in so doing has prevented an estimated 22 million fraudulent items from reaching UK households.

The company has put in place a dedicated reporting system for both employees and customers to identify and stop scam mail. Officers from the Trading Standards have held tailored training sessions at Royal Mail delivery offices across the UK. This training aims to improve awareness of scam mail among thousands of postmen and women so they can report suspect items.


Notes to editors:
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