Business Scams

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Businesses continue to be targeted by scammers using deceptive and aggressive sales practices to con them out of hundreds of pounds.

The scams include :-

To avoid these scams :-

The OFT's website, explains how the most common scams work, and offers more tips to businesses and their staff on how to avoid losing money to the scammers. See their advice to businesses pages.

The Insolvency Service's Companies Investigation Branch (CIB), which investigates complaints made against companies, has had a number of firms involved in charitable publishing scams closed down. The combined turnover of these companies was over £50 million, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Trading Standards, together with Yell, have issued a warning to businesses - both in the local area and throughout the UK - over companies impersonating Yell's products and services, particularly Yellow Pages and Yell.com.
Three scams have come to light that mislead Yell customers into signing up to fake advertising contracts which result in repeated requests for payment. Most customers are duped into thinking they are taking out or renewing existing Yell advertising.
Order forms are sent by e-mail or fax and contain lookalike "Yellow Pages" branding. Customers who return the form subsequently receive invoices and requests for payment.

Some businesses have received threatening telephone calls. In one instance, scammers have even set up a copycat website resembling Yell.com.
The scams are sophisticated and run by complex overseas networks. Yell customers should be particularly alert to any correspondence they receive containing contact details based in Holland or Germany.

Some of the names to beware of are:

Yell's lawyers have recently sent a warning letter to The UK Yellow Guide, warning them regarding possible civil & criminal liability.

The fake emails and websites look very much like the genuine article. If you have any doubts, please contact your local Trading Standards Service.  Leicestershire businesses should phone our Business Helpline on 0116 305 8000 or email us on tradingstandards@leics.gov.uk .

We have received several enquiries from schools that have each received an invoice for £19.99 for a GCSE revision unit they believe they have not ordered. The invoice has been sent by a trader giving a Norwich address.  It is accompanied by threat of debt recovery. It looks as though schools are being targeted at the end of the financial year when they are under pressure to get bills paid and their accounts done. Please make all office staff aware immediately of this.

Beware of a variety of publishing scams which have resulted in businesses being sent bills for anything up to £2,000.

It usually begins with a phone call stating that artwork for a publication is ready - and asking for payment.  

The callers often say that they are :-

They say that the publications carry adverts or publicity for your business and you must pay for the books or advertising.

If you have not ordered any of the above from the trader, do not get into conversation with them.  Just say that you have not asked for their service and put down the phone.  Equally, you should not respond to any similar approach by email, fax or post.

Ensure that your staff is aware of these scams and how to deal with them. If your business receives such a call and you are concerned that it is not genuine, please report the issue to your local Trading Standards Service.   Leicestershire businesses should phone our Business Helpline on 0116 305 8000 or email us on tradingstandards@leics.gov.uk .

Look out for emails, phone calls etc which tell you that you or your business are entitled to a refund or other payment that you are not expecting.  The payment may be a supposed tax, bank or other refund.

What is the catch?

They ask for your bank details to "pay in the money due to you".  If you give this information, they will immediately empty your bank account.

Beware of companies that approach you to sell telephone or other hi-tec systems. In particular, take great care if they tell you that your current system will soon be out of date or even unlawful. Complaints have been received that some businesses and schools have bought systems that were misrepresented verbally by the salesman.  This misrepresentation can be difficult to prove, because if you sign a contract the law presumes that you have read it and agreed to the written terms - and proof of a conversation can be almost impossible.

To avoid these problems:-