Virgin Media O2 issues urgent delivery scam warning as 1 in 4 Brits admit to forgetting what they’ve ordered at Christmas

Ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Virgin Media O2 is warning Brits to stay vigilant and swerve the scammers after 2 in 3 (67%) Brits say they find it’s harder to spot scams during busy shopping periods.

With deal-hunters expected to spend billions over the Black Friday weekend, a quarter (25%) of Brits admit to often forgetting what they’ve bought and only remembering when it arrives at their door. This can make delivery scam texts more believable – something scammers are planning to exploit.

During the festive shopping season, 3 in 5 people (61%) report a rise in scam attempts, while a third (33%) believe most or all their family and friends would struggle to identify a fake message.

To keep customers safe, Virgin Media O2 uses AI and firewall technology to prevent scam texts and calls from reaching customers’ phones. Hundreds of millions of scam texts have been blocked this year alone, including millions of fake delivery scam messages.

The operator’s blocking systems are continuously improved as scams are reported to 7726 – the free national reporting service for suspect scam messages and calls – which customers on all networks can use.

With the telecoms company predicting a rise in attempted delivery scams in the run up to Christmas, it’s today issuing advice to help Brits stay safe as part of its ongoing Swerve the Scammers campaign.

HOW TO STAY SAFE FROM DELIVERY SCAMS 

• Keep a note of what you’ve ordered and where from

With 6 in 10 Brits doing much more shopping over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s easy to lose track – noting what you’ve ordered and where from helps spot fake confirmations and phishing scams.

• Before you click, always double check any link that looks suspicious

Delivery scam texts typically try to take you to a fake online website. If there’s a link that looks unusual, is shortened using bit.ly, or an especially long address when it’s claiming to be from one of the big providers (DPD, Royal Mail or Yodel) it could be a scam. Always make sure the link takes you to the official delivery company’s website.

• Watch out for urgent payment requests

Fraudsters often try to get their victims to act immediately. If a message claims your parcel won’t arrive unless you pay immediately, it’s a major red flag. Legitimate delivery companies don’t demand instant payments via text. Take a moment to check through official channels before acting.

• Check the sender details

On most new smartphones, trusted delivery companies appear as the brand, for example ‘DPD’ or ‘Royal Mail’, instead of a random number. If you see an unfamiliar number or something that looks odd – particularly if it is not a UK number (+44), treat it with caution.

• Be cautious of generic messages without any specific reference to where or what you’ve ordered

Scammers are hoping to catch out as many people as possible which is why they keep their messages generic. If they provide too much information – such as the fake website or fake package details – they know Brits are likely to be warier.

If you receive a message with no clarity about what the package is, or where it’s from, and it doesn’t jog your memory about what you’ve ordered, it might be a scam.

James Harwood, Fraud Prevention Strategy Lead at Virgin Media O2 said: “Black Friday should be about landing great deals – not becoming victim to fraud. But unfortunately, sophisticated scammers know busy shopping periods are a perfect time for them to act.

“We have blocked hundreds of millions of scam texts, including fake delivery messages, this year alone. But this festive season we’re issuing new advice to help more Brits swerve the scammers. Don’t get stung this Black Fraud-day. If something looks suspicious, don’t click. Instead report it to 7726 so we can investigate.”

Notes to Eds

Polling was conducted on 13 – 14 November 2025. Total sample size of 1,020 online UK adults, aged 18+, weighted to demographic quotas of the UK ONS 2016 census for age and gender.

EXAMPLE SCAM MESSAGES BLOCKED ON VIRGIN MEDIA O2