Shoppers have reported receiving emails claiming to be from Royal Mail delivery which asks them for further information in order for the goods to be delivered.

The email states: “We require additional input and information from you to successfully deliver [the] parcel…

“The delivery address provided for this parcel is incomplete, and we require further details to make a delivery.”

Recipients are then asked to update their address via a link which requests personal details.

Katherine Hart, lead officer at The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), said: “Email scams like this one operate throughout the year, but they become more dangerous when parcel deliveries surge at Christmas time, and members of the public may confuse them for legitimate emails.

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“These scams are by no means limited to email, but also appear in the form of texts, WhatsApp messages, and through the telephone. Scammers may claim to be from all kinds of delivery services, not just Royal Mail.

“Royal Mail, or any other legitimate parcel delivery service will not contact you out of the blue asking for personal details, and it’s especially a big red flag if it requests payment details.”

Hart added: “It has been a challenging year for all of us, and I don’t want unscrupulous scammers ruining the holiday season.”

If you receive a suspicious email or discover a Royal Mail branded website which you think is fraudulent, report it via this contact Royal Mail link.

You can also report the scam to Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting centre, or if in Scotland dial 101 and report it to Police Scotland.