Fraudsters target nursery suppliers

ONE of the country’s leading suppliers of children’s nursery furniture has been targeted by fraudsters.

Hollinwood-based Designs For Education was approached by a number of “soon to be opened” nurseries and received orders for several large pieces of equipment.

Ashley Pether, a director at Designs, said: “Without a trading history, the would-be customers were asked to pay in advance and agreed to do so using a credit card.”

But management at Designs For Education, Hollinwood Business Centre, Albert Street, became concerned when a number of unauthorised transactions were pointed out by their financial processors.

Their investigations led them to suspect four transactions were affected, two in North-West London and two in Dagenham.

Staff managed to intercept one full order before it was delivered and part of another but due to their prompt levels of service, two had already gone out in full, explained Mrs Pether. Police were alerted and are currently handling the investigation into card or ID theft.

Designs For Education believes at least three others have been targeted. Ofsted said there were active Ofsted registrations at three of the four addresses.

Mrs Pether added: “It hasn’t been possible to determine whether the fraudsters are using their own names or the names of unsuspecting childcare professionals.”