Protect your business from fraud and scams

Watch out for fake ads on well-known sites

Sadly, we’re seeing businesses being scammed out of hundreds – ­and sometimes thousands – of pounds by people who seem to be selling something at a good price online. These ads often look genuine.
We’ve seen scammers advertise items like:

• Cars
• Vans
• Tractors
• Designer items or clothes.

Some of these items could be stolen and not the seller’s to sell. Other items are fake versions of real ones, but will have paperwork with them that makes it seem as if they’re the real brand or product. Other scams include making an ad look like it’s from a particular brand by using their usual colours and lettering.

How you can help protect your business

Check some details before you buy online:

• Look at the seller’s profile – read their reviews and comments. Be careful if their profile is new
• Always pay through a well-known site’s official app or website – scammers may ask you to pay them directly by bank transfer 
• When you’re looking to buy a car, complete the checks on the UK government website first – search for ‘buying a vehicle gov.uk’
• See the item in person to make sure it exists – and check any paperwork carefully
• If you’re paying an invoice you received by email, always call the sender to check the bank details first. Call  a number from a trusted source – not the one on the invoice or email
• Remember , if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Fraudulent ‘investments’ are a favourite ruse that scammers use to steal money

There are many types of investment opportunity available. Unfortunately, there are just as many convincing tactics used by fraudsters. These include professional-sounding phone calls, authentic-looking correspondence, and websites that look genuine.

In partnership with Get Safe Online, we’ve put together these pointers to help keep you protected:

• Always do your research and check that the company you’re looking to invest in is authorised. Use the contact details for the company on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Register – not the ones in the company’s communications
• Use the FCA ScamSmart tool for some useful warning signs and to check the company hasn’t been impersonated by scammers. Remember, a listing on the Companies House website is no guarantee of authenticity
• You can never carry out too much due diligence – look for independent reviews, and check that a company has a physical address in a place where you'd expect it to be
• If you're considering an investment in cryptocurrency, bear in mind that this market is unregulated by a financial authority like the FCA. Don't let someone open or manage a crypto wallet on your behalf – this can give them unrestricted access to your money
• If you're thinking of a property investment, visit the address of the property to make sure it exists, and check the Land Registry to check who owns it
• Be suspicious of any unsolicited approach, whether it's by phone call, email, text or social media
• Beware of promises of unrealistic high returns or unlikely investment deals.