Scams and Warnings for your business

Lifeisbutadream

Having been in business for just 2 years I have only come across one scam so far - which I have summarised below. I am sure that there are many people out there who have been scammed and can share their experiences to help prevent others being scammed in the same or similar ways.

I have set up this thread so that anyone can add any experience they have of scams and any warnings they may have to other businesses.

I will request that this thread is set up as a 'sticky' so as it doesnt have to keep being bumped up.

I will start off with a summary of the type of scam my business was targetted with (luckily for me I saw through it and they did not get away with taking the £199 they requested from me)

'SPONSORSHIP' SCAM

They target businesses, ringing to confirm the agreement that someone within your company made with them to something along the following lines: (please let me know if there are more and I will add them on)

- Sponsor your local school by sending them Drugs Awareness books
- Advertise in child disability books/magazines
- Advertise in magazines to help fire/ambulance services etc.


The following companies are known scammers: (again, please let me know if there are more and I will add them on)

MM Publications
Drugs Awareness Centre
Core Media Concepts

DO NOT PAY ANY MONEY TO THESE PEOPLE. IF YOU GET ANY CALLS LIKE THIS, TELL THE CALLER YOU DID NOT AGREE TO ANYTHING AND YOU WILL NOT BE PAYING ANYTHING.

REPORT THE CALL TO YOUR LOCAL TRADING STANDARDS OFFICE.

Butlers1982

Funny you should post this, I got a call this afternoon from a lady asking to speak to the person who deals with sponsorship.
I told her that she was on holiday and she asked for my name, I told her my name was irrelevant and to ring back in a couple of weeks.

ManAtHome

Butlers1982 wrote: »

I told her my name was irrelevant and to ring back in a couple of weeks.

What's the betting you get an invoice addressed to "E Rellivant"...

Loads more about:
Hidden advertising ("we're doing a feature on your business")
Directories ("what would like as your entry in our trade directory")
Office Supplies ("can we arrange delivery of x boxes of whatever")
Data Protection Act ("send us £x as your registration fee")

Think several time, count up to a hundred, check the internet etc.

Mark7799

Domain names is another favourite

"We think someone may be trying to buy the domain name for your business but we can reserve it on your behalf for a special fee of just £99 if you give us your credit card number immediately"