A PENSIONER in Rous Lench was nearly £5 out of pocket after falling prey to a parcel post delivery scam last week.

Alan Whyte, of Radford Road, found a card among his post last Wednesday advising him that a parcel containing an FM radio was waiting to be delivered to his wife, Elizabeth.

Mr Whyte, aged 66, thought it was from the Post Office and had no hesitation in dialling the number to arrange re-delivery.

But after three minutes of a recorded message asking him to confirm his address and other information Mr Whyte noticed the small print at the bottom of the card.

It said that all calls from a BT landline would be charged at £1.50 a minute.

"I phoned the number because my daughter is coming home for Christmas and I thought she might have ordered something on the internet.

"But it was just a scam. I think it's disgraceful and it makes me mad. It's £4.50 just gone for no reason."

Mr Whyte said he was concerned that other people may be caught by the scam.

"We've been caught and we're not stupid," he added.

The card claimed to be from Glide Delivery and had a Blackburn postmark.

Charlotte Knowles, from Worcestershire County Council's trading standards department, said: "We are aware of the scam although it hasn't resurfaced recently. The problem is that many of them originate out of the UK and therefore fall outside our jurisdiction."

She pointed out that consumers can protect themselves from unsolicited post by registering with the mailing preference service www.mpsonline.org.uk.

Anyone who feels they have been caught by the scam should contact trading standards on 01905 765373 or ICSTIS, www.icstis.org.uk, which controls premium rate numbers.