The most common courier scam targets the receiver of goods, rather than the courier company. It works like this. You receive an email or text from what appears to be a well-known courier service like UPS or FedEx.

The message tells you that the company was unable to deliver your package and you must click on a link to verify your personal information and reschedule delivery. Fraudsters can then steal your bank details and other personal data.

Scammers do not only target customers, though. They also target the courier industry. If you run a delivery company, you need to be aware of the following three scams and how to overcome them.

The Parcel Not Received Scam

This is a common scam that has been around since the dawn of the postal service, but it is still effective for the fraudster.

It simply involves a buyer claiming that the item he or she ordered has not arrived. If the item in question has been ordered via an ecommerce site like Amazon, the site will often side with the buyer if there is no evidence to the contrary.

Experienced courier companies are ready for this scam, but start-ups could get their fingers burnt. Thankfully, today’s technology enables a simple solution. Proof of delivery, commonly known as POD, is a method used to establish a recipient has received an item.

The method involves computer communication techniques like File Transfer Protocol and Electronic data interchange to provide data about purchase orders, invoices and shipping details.

Basically, it can prove an item was delivered to the correct address. By using proof of delivery, your team is protected against misplaced parcels, delivery errors, and fraudulent claims.

So, add electronic proof of delivery to your operations to ensure no one can claim a parcel was not delivered when it was.

The Empty Box Scam

This scam involves buyers claiming they have been sent an empty box instead of the goods they ordered.

Similar to the above scam, it is difficult for courier companies to prove the buyer is not in the right if they do not have proof that the goods were delivered intact. Buyers will then likely receive refunds and get to keep the items.

You can use proof of delivery tools to prove that the package was delivered, and couriers can even take photos of parcels left on doorsteps to provide further proof, but how do you prove that the items were actually in the box?

The above methods certainly help, as they confirm the package was delivered intact and not open. But even better is to get couriers to take photos of them handing over packages. Suppose someone claims he or she received an empty box instead of a microwave.

In that case, it will be difficult to prove if there is a photo of him or her holding the box, as obviously, a microwave weighs more than an empty box, and the difference would have been noted immediately.

The Fake Courier Scam

This scam is less common, but it does happen. It also affects both buyers and courier companies. When scammers have access to information that lets them know when and where goods will be delivered, they can wait for a package to be delivered and wait for the courier to leave.

Then, dressed in courier clothes, they can simply ring the doorbell of the delivery address and explain there has been a mix-up, and take the goods.

Thankfully, all it takes for the courier company to be in the clear is proof of delivery. So, make sure you use it.