Don't let them take you in
A man walks into a pub - okay it's the same old line - but some of those people are out to get money from the licensee by using a scam.
This man or woman has one aim and that is to take your cash illegally by any means they can.
But not all scams involve someone coming into your pub selling something that doesn't exist - they can involve something as simple as an email asking for help.
According to the latest statistics from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) nearly half of the UK population has already been targeted by a scam at some point - that is 23.5 million people in the UK.
A poll on thepublican.com last year revealed that 55 per cent of publicans had been approached by rogue dealers. Equate this to the 60,000 pubs in the UK and as many as 30,000 publicans have been targeted by some sort of scam.
What is it costing?
The OFT estimates that UK consumers lose in the region of £3.5m a year to scams - meaning it is a lucrative business for bogus traders. And pubs, as cash businesses, are prime targets for conmen who think the licensee is an easy target. These figures are likely to be underestimated as licensees and consumers are, in many cases, too embarrassed to report they have lost money to a scam.
Plus, for those licensees who have been ripped off by one scam you are almost certain to be targeted again as you are seen as easy prey. Scammers pass the details of eager victims onto their friends or next company and then hit you again. The OFT research claims "a victim has a 30 per cent chance of falling for another scam within the following 12 months".
It's a myth that only vulnerable elderly people are caught out by scams. Anyone can be a target, as scams are customised to fit the profile of those being targeted. As the OFT says: "There really is a scam for everyone".
The OFT has focused on 12 types of mass marketed scams:
- Prize draw/sweepstake scams
- Foreign lottery scams
- Work at home and business
- opportunity scams
- Premium rate telephone prize scams
- Miracle health and slimming cure scams
- African advance fee frauds
- Psychic mailing scams
- Bogus holiday scams
- Internet dialer scams
- Career opportunity
- High risk investment scams
- Loan scams.
The top 10 scams targeted at pubs are:
- Advertising in a magazine for charity or the emergency services
- Rogue recruitment company
- Unsolicited deliveries such as till rolls
- Tourist and business directories
- Unscrupulous financial brokers
- Shady energy brokers
- Letters demanding payment from a government department
- Bogus rate appeal companies
- Tarmac gangs
- Illegal training companies.
If you want more information on the latest scams go to www.thepublican.com/scamwatch or email scam@thepublican.com if you have been targeted by a scam.
What is a scam?
According to the OFT a scam is: "A misleading or deceptive business practice where you receive an unsolicited or uninvited contact (for example by email, letter, phone or ad) and false promises are made to con you out of money."
The OFT says the reasons for not reporting scams are:
- Nearly a third of people claimed it was not worth taking action and 16 per cent of victims claimed it was unimportant.
- And 21 per cent admitted they were too embarrassed to take action.
Next week on thepublican.com:
An interview with a member of the OFT Scambusting team and advice on what to do if you think you have been scammed. Plus more investigations into rogue companies.
Let us know what you think - fill out the survey by clicking on the right
