Lincolnshire Police has warned of people receiving suspicious text messages from delivery service DPD in the run up to Christmas.

The warning, issued yesterday, follows a similar warning from the Stamford, Bourne and Deepings Policing Team several days ago, where someone impersonated a police officer and asked people to transfer money into "a secure bank account" until they received a new national insurance money."

Action Fraud said 120 cases of police impersonation 'courier fraud' had been reported by December 18.

In their message yesterday, Lincolnshire Police said other fraudsters are using fake DPD messages to lure victims into a phishing scam. The message states that the recipient has missed two attempted deliveries of a parcel and provides instructions on how to arrange another delivery.

The links found within the messages lead to fraudulent websites that requests a payment (usually between £2-£3) to be able to successfully rearrange the delivery. If a payment is made, the victim will receive a call or text message within a few days from a fraudster purporting to be from their bank.

The victim is then informed about the suspicious transactions and that their bank account may be compromised, and that money needs to be transferred to a secure account to prevent any further losses.

Detective Inspector Simon Mason from the Economic Crime Unit (ECU) said: "It's really important that we remain vigilant to these types of scams, not just in the run up to Christmas, but at all times. Some scams may be difficult to recognise, but if you receive an email or a text message you're unsure about, don't click on the links and don't reply. Please report it to Action Fraud.

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

Remember:

Your bank will never ask you to share personal or financial information via text or email. Contact them directly if you have any doubts.

If you have received an email which you're unsure about, report it by forwarding it to [email protected]. Report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to 7726.