Scam: Beware of the bogus surveyor

Keith Williams, who runs the Horse & Jockey in Bentley, Hampshire, said he had been contacted by a “slick and pushy” caller saying he could submit rates claims on behalf of publicans.

He said: “They rang out of the blue and had obviously done a bit of research, because they asked for my partner by name and knew the name of the previous licensee. Alarms bell started ringing when he said we wouldn’t be charged until they had received a written acknowledgment of our claim.

"Even if you’ve got no chance whatsoever of a rebate, absolutely everyone gets a letter of acknowledgement saying the letter has been received."

“I kept asking whether he would still take our money even if there was no rebate to be had and he avoided the question until he eventually hung up on me. The phone number didn’t show up on our caller display system. I think it’s something the trade needs to be aware of.”

Ongoing issue

Scam phone calls are an ongoing issue for the industry, which was warned last year about the re-emergence of bogus callers pretending to sell adverts in police and fire-service magazines.
Victims of the hoax pay money into a bank account by debit or credit card but the magazine is never produced.

One licensee previously told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser​ he had been targeted up to five times a day. Manchester publicans were also recently warned to be vigilant after conmen scammed £100 out of bar staff at the Royal Oak in Chorlton by asking them to change £200 worth of £10 notes into 20p pieces.