Music firm cloned by online fraudsters

CLONED: Peter Braid’s music business was a victim of online fraudsters

AN OLDHAM entrepreneur was stunned to discover his business had been cloned by online scammers.

Peter Braid, who owns UK Musical Instruments Ltd in Chadderton, was contacted by a customer claiming to have bought DJ equipment from his website.

On further investigation Mr Braid found that the man, who lives in Poland, had been duped as part of an online hoax by fraudsters trading under his business name.

Mr Braid discovered that web criminals had sold DJ mixing equipment worth £370 on the trading website Alibaba.com.

When the Polish customer didn’t receive the product he sent his friend, who lives in Oldham, to the Middleton Road store.

There he showed Peter a fake, professional-looking invoice that boasted the shop’s address, VAT number and name — though the piano keys logo had been swapped for bamboo letters and bongo drums.

Peter said: “It could have carried on for a while — it was a good job he came in the shop to question it.

“I was gobsmacked, I’d been oblivious to it going on.”

But the Polish customer was not alone. After contacting Oldham’s Trading Standards, Peter found they were already investigating a complaint from a victim in Finland who had paid for £1,300 worth of top-line amplifiers from the fake company.

Peter, who ran Keys music shop in the town centre for over two decades, trades products across Europe from his new store, which sells guitars, pianos, amplifiers, synths and organs. But he doesn’t stock the brands that were supposed to have been purchased from him.

Peter added: “The biggest worry for us is that Trading Standards were investigating us. Luckily they supported us; we can’t afford to lose our reputation.”

Swift action from Trading Standards officers saw the rogue trader removed from the website. Warnings have now gone out to businesses and consumers to be vigilant online.

The scam is thought to have been limited to the two customers. Consumers can contact trading standards on 08454 04 05 06, or the national fraud reporting service on 0300 123 2040.




Security tips for buying online include:



Check the store out: find an email address or contact someone in advance to find out the company background and check the site is secure.

Check the seller: Try to look for things that tell you they are genuine such as they will tell you when the items will be posted and how much postage will be. Check feedback ratings.