There’s no denying that there has been a significant rise in sophisticated scamming and phishing activity throughout the past year of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Fresh warnings of fraudulent acts seem to be being issued to the public every month.
Scammers have been carrying out fraudulent activity under the guise of just about everything from Amazon Prime and hot tub sales companies, to social media platforms such as Facebook, and even the NHS in recent months, but it’s the Royal Mail – the nation’s postal service company – in particular, that appears to be the most-frequent subject of scams targeting vulnerable people.
But it’s this latest scam that’s proving to be one of the most scarily-accurate yet.
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Several people have come forward on social media to say that they’ve fallen for the scam, with one woman saying in a now-viral warning tweet that the scammers took her for “every penny [she] had”.
Victims are said to have received a text message tasking them with paying an “unpaid shipping fee”, alongside a link where they can go to pay the supposed amount that they owe, and with the text message only asking for as little as £2.99, the scammers appear to then be able to access that person’s card details to spend the money elsewhere.
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Using the hashtag #RoyalMailScam, dozens more have also claimed they nearly fell for the scam due to it looking so legitimate.
But it’s Emmeline Hartley’s now-viral tweet that’s made people really start to take note.
Ms Hartley took to Twitter to share her experience of a scam which saw the culprits trying to spend £300, as well as attempting to set up direct debits for different retail stores.
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Sharing a detailed account of what she was subject to, Emmeline said: “I mentioned yesterday that I’d been scammed out of every penny I had [so I] thought I’d post what happened in case it helps anyone avoid being in the same position.
“Please save the lectures, I don’t think it’s possible for me to feel any stupider”.
In the accompanying statement, Emmeline explains that she put her account details into the link provided on the text purported to be from Royal Mail, only to later receive a call from her bank to report suspicious activity to her.
I mentioned yesterday that I’d been scammed out of every penny I had. Thought I’d post what happened in case it helps anyone avoid being in the same position. Please save the lectures, I don’t think it’s possible for me to feel any stupider 🤦🏻♀️ #royalmailscam#safeaccountscampic.twitter.com/YRrh8W6uje
She was then advised to move her money out of her three accounts into a new one, but to make matters worse, the person on the other end of the phone was also another highly-experienced scammer who then completely cleared out her accounts leaving her with nothing.
While Emmeline has fortunately since made progress with her legitimate bank and filed a fraud claim – which is currently being investigated – her bank has stated that they couldn’t guarantee that she’d get all of her money reimbursed.
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“I’m usually very good at not falling for scams, but this one caught be off-guard at a pretty vulnerable time in my life,” Emmeline said.
“This s**t can happen to anyone – Please [share] and keep each other safe”.
The tweet has since gone on to amass over 13.5K retweets and 23.K likes, with many members of the public spreading word of the message to protect people and others sharing their own similar experiences.
People from across the country have still reported receiving the text in the following days.
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Always remember to keep vigilant.
You can report suspicious messages to Action Fraud here, or call – 0300 123 2040.
Featured Image Credit – Royal Mail
Trending
Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th March 2021 
