Scamwatch: Spot that scam
The problem with experienced scamsters is they are very good at what they do. They are generally offering you something that is just far too good to be true and they make sure they are very convincing and charming when they do it.
Licensee responses to Scamwatch Month have been flooding into The Publican. And it's not surprising - 57 per cent of you responded to a poll on thepublican.com last week saying you have lost money in a scam. The experiences of the following readers may help you avoid losing money in the future.
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Rick Herdman, licensee, the Mill Inn, Norwich
One of my supervisors received a phone call from a company called Paper Roll Logistics asking if we had had any problems with our PDQ machine and what the model number was. As the supervisor was busy she asked if they could phone back at a more convenient time.
A few days later Paper Roll Logistics phoned again and spoke to a different supervisor and asked if he could confirm the details of an order which had been previously placed.
A few days later I received a delivery from Paper Roll Logistics with an invoice for £209.15. Obviously I phoned the company to ask why we had been sent this order because I was the person who does the ordering and it was not my supplier.
Liz Venning, licensee, the Coach and Horses, Winterbourne Abbas, Dorset
I was very interested in your article about scams hitting the pub trade, particularly Novachannel AG, as I, too, foolishly filled in their request for updated information for the tourist directory just before Christmas.
In January I was horrified to receive a bill for £1,087 for an advertisement I did not need or want. I wrote back to them immediately, explaining my error and apologising for my mistake, and sent the letter by post, fax and also emailed a response to ensure they got the message as quickly as possible. I expected that to be the end of it.
Two weeks later I received a letter telling me that as I had not responded within the 10-day cooling-off period I was obliged to pay the full sum.
All of this is very unpleasant but I intend to stick it out, not pay a penny and hopefully they will eventually go away. I do not wish this problem on anyone else, but it was a comfort to me to know I am not the only one. I hope my story provides some kind of reassurance for others.
Felicity Hawkey, licensee, the Cornish Arms, Pendoggett, Cornwall
Last June I had a letter from a company asking me to upgrade our info for their customers in Switzerland. Of course, I did this and sent off the details they wanted. The next thing I got an invoice for £1,200. I was aghast to say the least and couldn't even remember signing for it.
Needless to say I hadn't read the very small print and after a lot of threatening phone calls and letters I decided to send off the money with a letter to say
that any further correspondence was to go to my solicitor.
I feel an absolute fool to have been taken in, but it was a very busy time and I just thought that I was filling in an upgrade form. I am now a lot more vigilant.
Malcolm Porvis, licensee, the Duck Inn , Laverstock, Sailsbury
We were hit with the till rolls scam. We were on holiday at the time and the barmaid okayed it and it went through.
We got a letter this morning asking us to advertise for an emergency services calendar.
We have had the drug awareness scam as well. Now we never agree to do any advertising.
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OFT scam guidance
The Office of Fair Trading has issued guidance to people who think they may be facing a scam
How a scam artist will succeed
- By catching you unawares, contacting you by phone, email, post or sometimes in person without you asking them to
- By sounding pleasant, well-spoken and kind they make you think they are your friend
- By producing slick, professional leaflets and letters
- By being persistent and persuasive
- By rushing you into a decision
- By asking you to send money up-front
- What they will ask you to do
- Send money up-front - an administration fee or tax, the list is endless but it's always a ruse to get you to give them money
- Give them your bank details or other personal details
- Ring a premium rate number
- Buy something to get your prize
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Let us know if you have been a victim of a scam - and whether you can offer any advice for other readers. Email scam@thepublican.com or call 020 7955 3714.
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Debbie Roe, the White Lion Inn, Cray, Skipton
Debbie has become vigilant and is now very suspicious of any potential scams. She says she has been inundated with telephone scams and emails attempting to obtain money from her.
"We were nearly caught out by the drug awareness scam. The company claimed that it called in November and spoke to my husband to arrange for some drug and alcohol awareness books to be printed and sent to our local school," she says.
"A few months later they called and said they were ready to despatch the books and said they would send the invoice for £150 to the White Horse Inn.
"At this point we challenged them and asked when exactly they had spoken to my husband, since we took our annual vacation in November. They claimed they had called us when we were on holiday in Lanzarote.
"We have refused to pay any invoice, and so far they have not been back in touch with us."
However, Debbie says she is targeted constantly with requests to advertise in a police calendar or fire calendar.
"I am very cautious of the nicey-nicey approach and over-familiarity. The ones I have not been caught out on were the email ones from banks telling you there are problems with your bank account."
However, she is still constantly dealing with the telephone scamsters offering anything, including telephone deals and implying they are from BT.
"The scams are mostly by telephone and you are caught off guard. If they are not prepared to put something in the post or wait for an answer I always say no."
