Royal Mail is not selling ‘lost parcels’ for £1

Social media posts have claimed that undelivered parcels are being sold by Royal Mail for as little as £1, but this is not a genuine scheme.

The posts, which have been circulating on Facebook, claim that “lost parcels” containing items such as electronics and gifts can be ordered online for £1, with some posts claiming this is in “accordance with Post Office regulations”.

However, this is not a genuine offer by Royal Mail. A spokesperson told Full Fact: “I can confirm that neither the Facebook post nor the website is associated with Royal Mail, and we would strongly advise against sharing any personal details with them.

“Royal Mail does not resell undelivered items. If an item is undeliverable, our policy is to return it to the sender or retailer.”

In 2011 the BBC reported that the Royal Mail had made nearly £1m in 2010/11 by selling items that could not be delivered and had no return address at auction. In response to questions about its current policy, Royal Mail told us that it no longer auctions or resells any undelivered items.

In addition, the Royal Mail says some retailers may appoint a third-party company to manage returns of items. If so, the Royal Mail will deliver returned items to this company and the company may go on to sell those items. Under these circumstances Royal Mail says it asks that all address labels are removed before anything is sold.

What do the posts say?

The posts link to a webpage that has the Royal Mail logo in the top left corner, and seems to show an offer for a ‘lost parcel’, from £150 down to £2, with text saying: “Congratulations! You are now a participant in the Royal Mail! Every year, the camps of the Royal Mail lost parcels [sic]. In accordance with the guidelines of the Royal Mail these items are only available just for £2. Inside you can find various items - from electronic devices and household items to accessories and gifts.”

The website asks you to respond to questions, and pick animated boxes to ‘win’ a lost parcel, before asking for personal information such as your address, email address, phone number and bank account details.

However the URL address of the webpage linked to in the post is not the same as the official Royal Mail or Post Office website, and the buttons at the top of the page do not work.

Some posts include photos of boxes of items with signs saying “lost parcels”, with Royal Mail branding on signs, some of which say “1.00 £”. This incorrect formatting is another clue the deal isn’t genuine.

We’ve written previously about many posts that promote fake deals from retailers, including ones that link to webpages that ask for personal information and card details. It’s always important to check whether posts that share offers that seem too good to be true are genuine before handing over any personal data.