Watch out for scams, firms are warned

Scamnesty is a national campaign to raise awareness about fraudsters who steal money from individuals and businesses.

The initiative is organised by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in partnership with local authority Trading Standards Services.

It has also secured the backing of the Business Crime Reduction Centre (BCRC), which helps small firms fight back against criminals.

The BCRC has issued guidelines and advice for businesses to reduce their chances of falling victim to a scam.

A spokesman said: “Businesses must stop, think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is. Check spelling and punctuation on emails.

“Don’t give out financial information. It is unlikely that a reputable company would have lost account information and if they had they would not request it by phone or email.

“Do not be rushed into sending off money to someone you do not know, however plausible they might sound and even where an approach is personalised.

“Ask yourself how likely it is that you have been chosen for a special offer. Thousands of other people and businesses will probably have received the same offer.

“Think about how much money you could lose from replying to a potential scam. It’s not a gamble worth taking.”

The BCRC, which is funded by Yorkshire Forward, can also provide free and impartial advice and help businesses with practical services to limit their exposure to internet-related crime.

For more information about a range of scams and how to spot them, visit www.bcrc-uk.org