Businesses are being warned to be vigilant after two recent reports of fraud in Swindon. The first incident occurred yesterday afternoon (25 August 2016) shortly before 3pm at a pub in Manchester Road. A man entered the premises posing as the owner of a nearby shop and offered to sell them a quantity of leftover alcohol at cheap prices. They agreed a price and a quantity of money was handed over, but when a member of staff went with the man to collect the alcohol, he ran off and did not return. A similar incident happened at around the same time, where a man approached a shop in Victoria Road, Old Town, and posed as the owner of an off-licence which was closing down. He offered to sell them discounted items, such as tobacco and alcohol, but once he had taken the money he disappeared. Investigations are ongoing into these two incidents, but police would like to issue some safety advice to try to prevent further crimes. • Always obtain full details (name, address , phone number) of the person you dealing with. • If necessary contact the seller boss/head office to confirm they are authorised to sell the alcohol. • Anyone of any age can be a victim of fraud. • Never give cash up front to the “seller”. • Always demand payment AFTER the goods have been delivered and checked by you. • If these terms are not agreeable to the would-be seller, end the negation, make it clear you will not change your mind. • Never given any money as a “deposit”. • Remember you cannot be forced or pressured by the seller to buy the proposed products or make any upfront payment before delivery. PC Jonathan Kilburn, from Swindon Town Centre NPT said: “Many fraudsters are good at talking the talk and maybe dress in uniform or suits, or present paperwork or business cards to appear legitimate. “Always have a healthy dose of suspicion when dealing with anyone and demand to see the products first before cash is exchanged. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.” If you wish to know more about crime prevention or have any questions you can contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or your local trading standards department.
