As the UK grapples with a cost of living crisis, fraudulent schemes are surging, and the Evri scam has emerged as a prominent example. Amidst soaring inflation and rising interest rates, financial struggles have become a norm for many across the nation.
Fraudsters have seized this opportunity, launching a slew of convincing scams that capitalize on major national events to ensnare unsuspecting victims. From exploiting government cost of living payments to capitalizing on industrial actions and cultural events, criminals are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to exploit the vulnerable.
The impact has been so dire that the government introduced a fresh anti-fraud strategy earlier this year. According to Citizens Advice, a public body, the most prevalent form of scam currently is parcel delivery fraud. An estimated 40 million people have fallen prey to this “sophisticated” phishing or smishing attack in the current year alone. One company in the spotlight is Evri, formerly known as Hermes, which has issued repeated warnings to its customers regarding fake parcel delivery messages.
The Deceptive Evri Scam:
The Evri scam operates through multiple variants, but they all share a common theme: demands for additional payments or surcharges for deliveries. Victims typically receive scam messages in the form of text or email, often mentioning missed deliveries or rescheduling requirements. These messages frequently come from seemingly random mobile numbers or email addresses.
These messages contain a seemingly reasonable fee request and a link redirecting victims to a convincing-looking website with a familiar URL. NationalWorld has shared two examples of these scams. Clicking on the link could lead victims to a deceptive replica of Evri’s official website. Once there, they may be prompted to share card details and personal information, which fraudsters can exploit to access their funds or identities. Stolen identities could be sold on the dark web or misused for monetary gain.
Detecting the Scam:
While some scam messages may be obvious, coinciding with a scheduled delivery could make it more challenging to spot. The urgency associated with timely deliveries plays into fraudsters’ hands, pressuring victims into hasty decisions. Taking a moment to assess the legitimacy of the message is crucial. Pay attention to language use, grammar, and formatting errors, including capitalization and spelling mistakes. Genuine messages from Evri will not use a generic greeting and hovering over URLs might reveal unexpected web addresses.
Evri’s official domains include @evri.com, @hermes-europe.co.uk, and @myhermes.co.uk. Scammers may use different email addresses. Evri emphasizes that they contact customers differently and share some red flags:
- Legitimate messages won’t come from random numbers, often displaying ‘Evri’.
- They won’t request payment.
- They won’t provide a parcel tracking link that differs from https://evri.link/… (although this format isn’t always definitive). If in doubt, directly visit Evri’s official website to verify the tracking information.
Protecting Yourself:
Should you receive a suspected Evri scam message, take a screenshot and forward it to phishing@evri.com. Also, report it to report@phishing.gov.uk for investigation by the National Cyber Security Centre. If you mistakenly share your bank details on a fraudulent website, contact your bank immediately to prevent unauthorized transactions. Consider performing a factory reset on your device in case spyware has been installed through the fraudulent link.
Stay vigilant and shield yourself from the clutches of the Evri scam, ensuring your financial security in these uncertain times.
