Scam awareness

#ADVICE A refund scam is targeting business owners and tradespeople across Derbyshire.

In the past few days, we have seen multiple reports from businesses that they’ve been contacted by a disgruntled customer demanding a refund for work that they’re not happy with.

However, when asked for specifics regarding the job, such as the specific location, the person contacting the business has been unable to provide any further details. Upon checking the name of the supposed customer, which in some cases has been ‘John McVey’, the business hasn’t been able to find any related work or job records.

PC Louise Rodger said: “The amount this person has demanded in refund has varied, as has the industry of the business who has been contacted."

“When challenged, the caller or message sender often becomes aggressive, but cuts contact as soon as they’re told police have been informed."

If you are contacted by someone out of the blue, asking for money always take a moment to Stop! Think Fraud. Many businesses advertise their number online, and criminals may try to make an educated guess as to areas a business might have completed work, so always check your records before issuing refunds to genuine customers.

If you have a call or message like this, and you can’t get confirm any specifics of the job or the customer, please report it to us via Report Fraud, the national reporting centre for cyber crime and fraud.

You can do this via their reporting hub: https://orlo.uk/u9xs0 or by calling 0300 123 2040.