Buyers warned of fake Asda and Morrisons delivery messages circulating Bedford News

Supermarket shoppers are alerted to the dissemination of fake text messages that attempt to obtain personal information.

Messages seen by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) claim that an Asda or Morrisons order is being delivered, and includes a link to a bogus website.

The message attempts to trick recipients into clicking the link to direct them to a web page, which supposedly allows them to track their order and display a delivery slip.

However, crooks are using the links to obtain people’s personal information, which could put their finances at risk, the CTSI warned.

The fake supermarket messages follow a Royal Mail delivery scam, various fake bank messages and a national insurance number scam that have circulated.

Scam messages have increased in recent weeks as the coronavirus pandemic has forced people to rely more on door-to-door deliveries.

CTSI Senior Agent Katherine Hart said: “The crooks are sending these text messages to phone numbers in case the recipient has placed an order with the relevant supermarket.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has led to greater reliance on door-to-door deliveries, making the public more open than ever to fall for this scam.

“The public should be aware that these campaigns are not limited to Asda or Morrisons brands and may receive messages citing the names of other major supermarket chains.”

Consumers who receive a suspicious text claiming to be from Asda or Morrisons should contact the supermarket to verify it.

Any scam text should be forwarded to 7726, a free reporting service operated by Ofcom.

A spokesperson for Asda said: “We are aware of a series of scams that are sent to customers posing as different brands, including Asda, via text message.

“We will never ask for any personal information via SMS, and any SMS communication from us is not from a cell phone number.

“We want to remind our customers that they should never click on suspicious links, but if anyone is unsure of a communication claiming to be from Asda, please contact our customer service.”

Scams can also be reported to Action Fraud and the Citizens Advice consumer hotline on 0808 223 1133.