Lincolnshire Police have this week various reports of people falling victim to the DPD missed delivery scam.

The text message claims to be from parcel delivery service DPD alerting the victim to a missed delivery.

The text asks you to click on the link provided to rearrange delivery, but in reality, the link takes you to a portal where fraudsters can obtain your personal and financial information if you were to fill in the forms.

Because the scam text only asks you to click on a link but doesn't ask for a fee, it appears legitimate – especially for those who are expecting a parcel delivery from DPD.

A police statement explained: "We have also received reports of people being contacted by fraudsters after clicking the link on the text message and entering their details. The fraudsters claim to be police officers who then inform their victims that they have fallen for a scam.

"During the call, fraudsters tell their victims that their account/s must be protected as it's been compromised, and that they can help by sorting a 'safe account' for the victim. This is a scam. Remember, police officers will never ask you to hand over money or any financial information over the phone."

Don't fall for it

Police further advise: "If you receive a text message from any parcel delivery service, be wary. If you're unsure, do not respond and check your parcel's status by visiting the website your item was purchased from.

"You can report suspicious messages by forwarding them to 7726. This is a free service that reports the message to your mobile phone provider."

If you think you may have been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online.