An Post issues scam warning
The letters tell the recipients that they need to send a sum of money to a certain location in order to claim a significant lump sum prize.
They appear genuine, not just because the language used is well phrased but also because they have an An Post registered post mark.
However, it is understood they have originated from Nigerian scammers who have sent them as registered post through China to avoid detection.
The reason they have the An Post registration mark is because China and Ireland do not have a common registration agreement, so the letters must be re-registered when they reach here.
Even though the contents of the letters are known to be a scam, An Post is required by law to deliver them and, as a result, they have been distributed by the Dublin mail centre.
Post office sources say these kinds of letters have been flooding into the Irish postal system for the last number of years, but these are among the first to actually bear a legitimate registration mark.
“On these, the registration is paid, they are properly addressed and they have to be delivered,” the source said.
Both An Post and the Communications Workers Union issued warnings to customers to be vigilant.
A spokeswoman for An Post said: “Any mail that comes into the country that is fully paid for and addressed has to be delivered by law.
The only people who can intercept mail are the gardaí with warrants.
