Fraudsters are targeting small businesses, claiming to represent legitimate debt recovery companies and asking for payment.
Offenders telephone the victims claiming to be bailiffs chasing a debt, and using the threat of legal action to extort money from them.
The fraudsters are claiming to represent legitimate debt recovery companies and often use the name of a genuine certificated bailiff as their alias. The scam has so far been reported by a large number of victims scattered across England and the suspects appear to be primarily targeting nurseries as well as small businesses, such as bed and breakfasts and guest houses.
The victim receives a phone call from the suspect claiming to represent a debt recovery agency chasing a debt on behalf of The Business Directory for money allegedly owed for advertising space.
The caller, who according to reports speaks with a Scottish accent and commonly goes by the name ‘Derek Jones’, threatens legal action by the Birkenhead County Court if payment is not made.
To add further plausibility to the story, the fraudster claims that the victim’s business made a one off payment to The Business Directory at some stage in the past and was contractually obliged to make repeat payments on a monthly basis. They then pressurise the victim to transfer funds into a specified bank account in order to settle the debt.
Councillor Osman Dervish, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said:
“This type of fraud is disgraceful and I would encourage business owners to spread the word about this scam throughout their networks so that no one has to be a victim of this crime. Anyone who receives a call like this should report it to Action Fraud.”
Anyone who receives such a call should not give out any bank details or make any payments. The scam can be reported to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting actionfraud.police.uk