Advice for business owners around sales calls scam from 'charity'

Derbyshire Trading Standards is asking business owners to be extra vigilant when responding to cold-call telephone calls.

They say they have been made aware of high-pressure sales calls being made on behalf of a charity, where pressure is used to try to convince the business owner that they have already agreed to sign up to a donation and bank details are now required.

The caller may seem to know some detail about the business, possibly from online, and uses this to suggest a previous conversation has occurred. 

The caller may use other tactics such as stressing how important the charitable cause is, and may become 'aggressive' when their claims of a previous conversation are questioned or the business owner refuses to give their financial details.

Business owners are being asked to advise their staff not to respond to such telephone calls without making further checks within the business first, and check received invoices carefully to ensure they're for legitimate transactions.

Trading Standards also say they have been made aware of Derbyshire businesses receiving bogus invoices demanding payment for non-existent orders.

They again advise business owners to check within their own company to verify the invoice and carry out online checks of the name, address and contact details on the invoice. 

People should also report any such calls to Action Fraud by ringing 0300 123 2040 or visiting https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime.