be careful if delvry guy wants to use phone

System

I don't mean to sound cruel but you never ever let anybody use your phone under any circumstances - even if it is a child who has no money for bus fare, young lady with car broken down wanted to call recovery people, sales representatives wanted to ring their office, etc. If anyone wants to make phone calls when they are out and not even have the change to use the phone box (assuming they have not got a mobile phone), they can jolly crawl their way to the nearest police station or the social services to seek help!

You could always say that yes, they can use the phone, but you will make the call for them. That way, they have to tell you the number & and a contact name, If they are dodgy they'll probably make up some excuse & go away. If they're not & they really do need help then they're not going to mind too much, and you won't have turned away a needy person

System

This is no disrespect or slur on anyone but I would like to point out a couple of things.


Lots of delivery guys drive white vans, especially if they are independant of the company (ie, sub-contracted or have to supply their own van).
The parcel may have been for a 'Johnson' and there are databases on which to look up the name. It could have been a small company with a limited and regular customer base, they may well have remembered the 'johnson' person from loading the deliveries that day or perhaps he / she was a regular customer.

If this was a 'premium rate scam' then the person would not incriminate themselves by:
1, coming into your house and being identified by a family
2, leaving prints everywhere
3, driving a possibly traceable vehicle
4, someone calling you back and not witholding their number, leaving another piece of traceable evidence, even if they WERE trying to cover up.

I think perhaps a little over-cautious in this matter.
I would check your phone bill to see if the number dialled WAS premium rate. It may have been that the premium rate number that called you back was a seperate customer helpline (you know what some of them are like!) and that he dialled a normal business line to reach to appropriate person.

Also having already aroused your suspicion I am suprised you didn't quiz the caller a little further when they asked for their driver.


I'm not saying that someone is wrong or right but these phone scammers know a much better, less work, anonymous way for phone-scamming people.
Some of these addresses are very similar - it may have been some confusion or mix-up with the names & addressses
It doesn't add up to a scammer, just a scatty and confused driver who may have been new to the job feeling very embarassed when he delivered something to the wrong person.



"In this World today it's very easy to be too pessimistic"