PEOPLE in Oxfordshire have been warned not to fall for a bogus parcel scam circulating by text.

Royal Mail revealed that there is a new con circulating by texts and emails, which tells recipients to make payments to ensure their packages can be delivered.

The fake text reads: " Royal Mail: your package has a £2.99 shipping fee, to pay this now visit."

It then includes a seemingly legitimate Royal Mail website, but it is all a ruse, with fraudsters ready to steal your details.

One Oxford resident already took to Facebook to warn others of the new Royal Mail scam.

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A spokesperson for the service commented on the latest con: "Royal Mail will only send email and SMS notifications to customers where the sender has requested this when using our trackable products that offer this service.

"The only time we would ask customers to make a payment in an email or SMS is if a customs fee is due.

"In this case, we will also leave a grey card telling them there's a fee to pay, either for the international customs fee or a surcharge for an underpaid item, before we can release the item.

"Royal Mail Group works hard to prevent and detect fraud."