Businesses Are Rogue Trader Victims Too!
Householders are not the only people rogue traders target. Businesses can be victims too warn Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service.
Businesses, like homeowners are targeted by rogue traders who make their approaches door to door and on the telephone.
Small or medium sized businesses are usually those that are targeted with both owners and staff falling victim to the conmen.
Whether it’s offering to fill in pot holes on a car park, provide advertising in publications with no circulation or requesting payment for false invoices, rogue traders use all kinds of dishonest tactics to con the unsuspecting business.
Warwickshire County Councilor Richard Hobbs, Portfolio Holder for Community Protection said: "Our first impression of a victim of rogue trader crime is often an elderly or vulnerable person. However businesses, like householders can become victims too.
"And like homeowners, Warwickshire Trading Standards have helped businesses experiencing problems with rogue traders and prevented them losing thousands of pounds.”
Trading Standards Officers are advising businesses that the best way of ensuring they don’t fall victim to rogue traders is to know the tricks rogue traders use and make their staff aware as well.
Although not exhaustive, here are some of the principal scams Warwickshire businesses have faced:
Pot hole filling. A rogue trader offers to fill pot holes in a business’s car park, but they tarmac the whole surface area instead and then demand a high fee using threats and intimidation.
Rogue publishing. Using a prepared sales script, a rogue trader induces a business owner or staff member in to agreeing to taking advertising space in a publication that has no circulation and will not be seen by anyone. The rogues often claim the publication is supporting a charity to encourage participation.
Bogus enforcement organisations. Rogue traders may claim to represent bogus health and safety enforcement organisations and request fees for registering with them.
Business Directories. Rogue firms send out forms that at first glance appear to be requests for information for a ‘free’ listing in a published directory, website or similar. However, the small print on the forms commits those who respond to pay hundred of pounds for the listing.
Cheque Scam. Criminal gangs pay for goods or services using stolen or forged cheques.
The amount of the cheque is always higher than the cost of the goods or services and the criminals then asks the business to return the difference, once the cheque has cleared. At some later date the bank realises the cheque is fake or stolen and withdraws the money, leaving the company out of pocket.
For more information visit our website: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards.