PSNI issue 'cold calls' scam alert in Ballymena

Many genuine newspapers and magazine canvass businesses for advertising, however fraudulent enterprises are also known to have operated locally.

A police spokesman said: “The important issue is to be able to distinguish the genuine from the bogus. It’s important to be cautious, even if the caller claims to represent a genuine organisation, such as one of the emergency services or a charity.”

Useful tips include:

n Always note the time and date of any call and the name of the caller

n Ask for an address and a landline telephone number

n Establish exactly who the caller is acting for. If it is a charity, ask for the Charity Commission registered number

n Clarify exactly what are you getting for your money

n Ask for clear details of the publication, how many copies will be circulated and where they will distributed

n Ask to see a copy of the publication

n Never agree to an advertisement on the first call just to get rid of the caller. Ask for time to think about it, and say you will call back if you are interested

n Pay close attention to any invoice that you receive for advertisements you are supposed to have placed. Some fraudsters send out invoices in the hope that a busy accounts department will not query it.

Quite often, fraudsters are hesitant about giving their names or telephone numbers. If someone will not do that, it gives grounds for suspicion.

If you think you have been a victim of an advertising scam, contact Ballymena police on 0845 600 8000, or email [email protected] Alternatively, information about crime can be passed anonymously to the Crimestoppers charity by calling 0800 555 111