Parcel Link – Courier-Network.net Scam
Written by Admin on February 28th, 2012
ukparcellink.co.uk is another website which should have the internal alarm bells ringing loudly. Apart from being illegal, it can’t help sales when there is no privacy policy, terms and conditions or money back guarantee.
I ran a search on the domain name and found it was only registered a few weeks ago by an individual called Sarah White.
The sales pitch attempts to set it apart from the other products on the market by claiming they have years of experience, despite the fact the website was only recently registered.
After a bit of research, it soon became apparent that this is a scam to lure you into parting with an administration fee, in exchange for the promise of a courier job at the rate of £20 per hour for 8 hours per day, with the implication that you would earn £160 a day. This is just one of the more outrageous claims made by this company.
A quick search on google turned up volumes of complaints about this website. It seems a considerable number of people have paid the administration fee, yet not one of them has reported getting any work at all.
This website does seem strangely similar to a previous scam site http://www.drivingjobcentre.co.uk/ which has finally been closed down along with http://www.thereferencegroup.co.uk/ who were apparently supplying their fake references.
Update 08/03/12: Another website has come to our attention UK-COURIERSOLUTIONS.NET which is operating a very similar scam to the parcellink.net website, strangely both websites were registered in Jan 2012. Could there be a connection? Please leave us your feedback…..
Update 14/03/12: Yet another website, bearing all the same scam style hallmarks of the above, has come to our attention http://www.uk-courierservices.net/ again, we are not sure if it is connected to the above 2 websites, but we strongly suggest that you avoid handing over any money. uk-courierservices.net has all the hallmarks of a yet another courier scam. We await your feedback……
Update 17/05/12: A new website http://www.courier-network.net/ has been brought to our attention, which was only registered on the 22nd of march 2012. It looks very similar in principle to the scams listed above and strangely the name of the website owner is hidden from searches. They are also claiming that you will get paid by the hour, which has been the hallmark of almost every courier scam we have seen so far. It is very probably that the same person/people are behind all these websites, simply launching under a new name as each scam is exposed. This website is identical to one launched a year ago, which disapeared after being exposed as a scam on google and now seems to have resurfaced with a new domain name. We have also noted they are cleverly asking for the money to be deposited directly into their bank account, which would make claiming a refund impossible. Has anyone asked for their money back and actually got it back? Please leave us your feedback below……..
Tags: courier-network.net, uk-courierservices.net, UK-COURIERSOLUTIONS.NET, ukparcellink.co.uk
9 Comments at "Parcel Link – Courier-Network.net Scam"
SCAM !!!! I paid their fee a few weeks ago and received absolutely nothing from them, i can’t even get hold of them as no one answers the phone.
Another one to be wary of. The scum are at it again
‘The uk’s fastest growing courier company’ http://www.ukparcellink.co.uk
Damn well seem to be since the web was only registered a short while ago, so avoid like the plague, give them no cash, no details.
Don’t be taken in by these scumbags
This comes from another forum and was posted by a courier who applied to UK Parcel Link for further information (just to see what they were going to say).
What you see below is, apparently, their response to the initial enquiry. Make of it what you will. Happy reading folks.
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Thank you for your recent application to join Uk Parcel Link.We are pleased to inform you that after reviewing your application, availability and areas specified we would like to offer you a position on our books as one of our drivers.
You will be self employed and can charge a rate that you decide to be acceptable, we have a useful calculator available for you to use in our members area, which helps you work out fuel costs and other expenses. We aim to supply you with 8 hours of work per day at a rate of £20 per hour, this totals £160 per day. But like most other agencies, we cannot make any guarantees as to the frequency, duration and radius of the work you receive. However once activated, member status will be granted and your profile will go live on our website. Which is exposed to 750,000 potential UK visitors per month. We have a limit of 6 drivers per area*. We take no commission from the work you receive from UK Parcel Link SVCS. There is no contract and you can cancel at any time. Remember, you decide the rates!
In order to make your account immediately active and ready to receive work, we request a payment of £39.99, which will place your profile live on our website for one year. This helps cover costs of our nationwide advertising campaigns. Remember we do NOT take commission from your deliveries, The money you earn is 100% YOURS you will earn more than this back on your first delivery. This payment also helps us distinguish who is serious about the role that we are offering. Without this payment we will not be able to advertise you and find you work.
Once we receive payment we will immediately activate your account, you will receive an e-mail to confirm this. Your profile will be live on our website and your one year membership will commence.
If we do not hear from you within 14 days we will assume you do not require this position and offer it to somebody else suitable in your area.
Please feel free to contact us via our contact page on our website with any queries you may have and we will assist you the best we can.
Please click here to Contact us (Click link or paste into url bar)
*6 drivers per town is worked out on an average of the total towns we operate within, in some cases more than 6 drivers may appear in a search results.
just been reading some other forums and ukparcellink.com is known to be a scam just asking for money keep away
This is how ukparcellink.co.uk works …
1). They set up a pretty looking website.
2). They advertises widely on Gumtree (it’s free so it doesn’t cost them anything).
3). You apply.
4). They reply and say to send them £40.
5). You send them £40.
THE END …
I too have been scammed by these scum bags!!
Asked my Bank to process a refund back from their account (same Bank as mine – Santander) but without success at present.
Please AVOID and do your homework BEFORE paying anything – unlike me!
NO WORK will be coming and I’m £39.99 out of pocket! .. GRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!
I was just about to sign up to uk parcel link but I decided to Google for reviews from existing drivers before signing up as it did sound slightly too good to be true. Thankfully my Google search brought me here and now I’m feeling chuffed because I’ve just saved myself £40.
For those of you who have unfortunately already bought in to it, maybe you could try reporting them to the police or trading standards. I know it won’t likely get you a refund, but you might get a bit of satisfaction from the feeling of revenge.
Anyway, thanks for the warnings about this outfit.
Hi There,
My name is James Roberts and I am the owner operator of the website http://www.courier-network.net. It was pointed out to us that we had been mentioned in the same light as some other not so genuine companies in the above mentioned postings. I would just like to point out that we do not guarantee, nor promise work we are simply a sales and marketing tool for couriers. We have a subscription fee which is £69.95 for six months and for that fee couriers who sign up with us receive extensive first page marketing on Google with over 20,000 search terms used that relate to the courier industry.The majority of our revenue goes into making sure we keep a front page presence for all of these search terms. In addition to this we also market all major courier companies within the Uk to alert them to the existance of our database and the couriers that are listed within this with a view of generating the couriers listed with us sub-contract work. We dont claim to have been around for years but are quite happy to say that this is only our third month in operation. We are absolutley not a scam but simply a new start up trying to remain as successful and transparent as possible. I hope this information sets the record straight and confirms that we are not a “scam”.
Best regards
James
I came across the couriernetwork.net website and filled in the application form.
I got suspicious as they are asking for £69.95 for a 6 months listing on their database and a manual.
Following is a copy of the email I received from them and the reply I sent:
Dear Amy
Thank you for your recent application to become a self-employed owner driver courier with Courier Network. We have conducted a search and are delighted to inform you that based on the information that you submitted and also our current nationwide recruitment drive we would be able to offer you a position in and around the postal region of XXxx xXX. You have initially selected to be available Any Time and covering a radius of 0-120 Miles. Once registered with us you can change these details at any point to suit yourself. The beauty of Courier Network is that it is completely flexible and can be operated on a full or part time basis, you decide. Once active on our database you will then be eligible to receive on-going work. Weekly earnings in excess of £650 are quite achievable. This figure can also increase as repeat business will figure heavily in your workload.
We generate our work through intensive marketing. Our main marketing tool is Google where we have a front page presence for over 20,000 search terms that include the words “courier” or “couriers” that relate to the courier industry. In addition to this each month we also directly market all major courier companies within the Uk so not only will you have a work stream from the general public but also sub contract work from existing courier companies wishing to utilise your services. This amount of marketing coupled with our expert advice means that you will have a steady, on-going stream of work that pays one of the best rates in the business. We have invested heavily in our marketing and also to make sure we are ranked on the first page of Google. This has a massive impact on the level and quality of work you receive
If you wish to accept this role you now need to complete activation so that your details can go live on our database. Once these details are live you are then eligible to receive work. Once activation is complete you will be listed on our database as a courier for the region that you specified in your application. Once active we supply full instructions for the role in the form of a manual. In addition to this you will also receive instructions on how to avail of our support service that will remain active as long as you wish to work with us.
The pay rates that are in operation work out at between £25.95 per hour and £35.95 per hour depending on the amount of items carried. All payments will be made on the day of any completed delivery and all items for delivery are collected from customers within your postal region. The pay structure works out as follows, on an average day you may have five items that you would pick up locally to you, these five separate items may have to go to three different areas say on average 50 miles away. That would make your revenue for the day approx. £350.00 less wear and tear, fuel and other costs this would leave a minimum of £280.00 Far higher amounts can be earned too and we have one of the best pay rates in the country! All work will be passed to you via the phone number we have on file for you.
To complete activation and to appear on our database you now need to make a payment of £69.95 This pays for your inclusion on our database of couriers for six months, it also allows you use of our support service and in addition to this we will also send you our manual which includes all instructions for the role. At the end of this six month period you will be given the option to remain with us if you wish. The cost for a further six months would again be £69.95.
If you find that Courier Network is not for you you can cancel your subscription and claim a refund up to 60 days from the point of sign-up. We offer this because we have complete confidence in our operation.
You can make payment directly to our bank account. Our account details are Courier Network, Account Number 13754090, Sort 23-85-90. Payment can be made by going to your own bank and requesting a transfer to our account. Alternatively if you have online banking you can make payment this way too. Please use your name as reference when making payment. Very Important. Once you have made payment please send an email to support@courier-network.net confirming payment. We need this confirmation so that we can activate you on the system so you are eligible to receive work. We will then activate you and send all relevant details to you. This process takes about 36 hours.
Once payment is made by you for activation we will also send you our Manual which includes full instructions for the role and instructions on how to avail of our support service. This all happens within 36 hours of payment taking place.
The reason we ask for the small upfront payment is because we need to be sure you are completely serious about the role as a courier for us; this lets us know that you are for the simple reason that when someone makes a financial commitment of this nature the likelihood is that they are genuine about the role. It is also revenue that you benefit from directly as the lions share is used to extensively market you so regular work continues to flow.
I hope this information helps. I would now like to officially welcome you on board and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial future. Please note: Once payment is received you will be given instructions on how to avail of our courier support service and our manual will be sent to you with full instructions for the role. Activation on the database will take place within 36 hours of payment being received. At this point you are then eligible to receive work. I hope this information helps and I look forward to speaking with you very soon.
Yours Sincerely
James Roberts
Courier Network
Hi James,
Thank you for your reply.
I have a concern that you are asking for money up front. As soon as I read this in your email, it instantly made me think that this is a scam. Your website is registered in the US and the domain was only registered in March 2012! I cannot find any reviews online from people that have used your company.
Can you tell me your UK company registration number?
Also I would like to know how insurance is taken care of? there is no mention of this on your site and I am assuming that this will need to be taken care of incase any package is damaged lost etc.
Are you able to let me know some company names that use you as a subcontractor? If you are indeed legitimate then they surely would confirm that you are.
Please excuse my being so suspicious, but anyone that asks for money up front for any job is usually a scam, I have been a victim before and will not be again.
I am looking for additional work as my financial situation has taken a drop recently but I will not pay up if I am going to get no return.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards
Amy
Sounds tempting huh? If they reply, I will let you know the response!
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