Businesses wary of freight scam
Firm taken for $69,000 by ‘customer’ from overseas
Police are warning businesses to be aware of scams after one New Zealand business lost around $69,000 after making payments to a fake company overseas.
The business, based in Hawera, was approached by an individual, “Ned”, who posed as a customer and agreed to make several purchases. He suggested the orders be shipped to him using a particular freight company.
Police believe this company is fraudulent and owned by “Ned”.
Ned made several orders and paid the invoices using credit cards. Once payment was received, the Hawerabased
business paid the fraudulent freight company, which used several different bank accounts, to ship these orders.
In total, the local organisation paid this freight company around $69,000.
However, the credit card company then disputed the payments and the Hawerabased company had to return the money Ned had paid, leaving them out of pocket by $69,000.
Ned used several different credit cards, some of which declined.
It is believed that the payments were disputed because the credit cards being used were stolen.
Police are working with the financial institutions involved and continue to make inquiries.
Anyone who has been the victim of a scam of this nature is asked to contact Police on 105.