Eight arrests in Royal Mail text scam investigation

The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit said it was working with Royal Mail and other groups as part of the investigation

Eight men have been arrested in dawn raids targeting scam text messages.

The suspects were allegedly involved in sending fake messages, primarily posing as Royal Mail and asking people to pay a fee to retrieve a parcel.

The men were arrested in Birmingham, Coventry, London and Colchester, Essex, a specialist unit of the City of London and Metropolitan Police said.

A man from London was charged with three offences and the others were released under investigation.

The charged man, from Enfield, will appear at Inner London Crown Court on 21 June.

He faces charges of fraud by false representation; possession of articles for use in fraud; possession of criminal property (money laundering), a spokeswoman for the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) said.

The unit added the arrests were made as part of a week of action against scam messages.

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Such messages, known as "smishing" texts, steal a victim's personal and bank details by getting them to follow a link to a fake version of a trusted website.

Det Ch Insp Gary Robinson, head of the DCPCU, said it was working with Royal Mail, the financial services sector and mobile phone networks to fight the crime.

"Ongoing investigations are now under way and we will continue to work together to bring those committing smishing scams to justice," he said.