Music firm’s fears over web fraudsters

WEBSITE warning . . . Peter Braid received 900 euros from a person in Holland who had been duped by an online fraudster who is impersonating Mr Braid’s business

AN OLDHAM businessman is urging people to be wary online after findng his own business has been targeted by an online fraud over several years.

Peter Braid, who owns UK Musical Instruments Ltd in Middleton Road, has learned a scammer has used the name of his business on fake websites to dupe people into buying goods.

He recently received 900 euros through the post from a customer in Holland who thought he had been dealing with the real owner of the shop.

The fraudster, who purportedly sells the products cheaply, advertises goods all over the world on several websites and sends invoices with the real business address but his own mobile number.

Mr Braid has been contacted by people in America who, having been conned, have sent him details of the bogus invoices with the fraudster’s bank details. Peter contacted Barclays Bank and closed the account.

But Mr Braid believes it likely the fraudster has more than one account - and mostly deals in cash.

He said: “There must be hundreds we don’t get to hear from who have sent him money. We’ve passed it to the police but nobody’s interested. We haven’t lost money and according to police, we haven’t been subjected to fraud.

“The person who has lost the money won’t know to report it to Oldham police. It’s mad. It has been going on for years.”

Peter first contacted police in 2011 when he was contacted by a customer in Poland claiming to have bought DJ equipment from his website. He had been duped out of £1,300 as part of an online hoax after fraudsters traded under Peter’s business name.