publishing and marketing scams

(for England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

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The majority of publishers are reputable, providing valuable services to many businesses. However, a small minority will resort to dishonesty for illicit gains. Smaller businesses are usually targeted by rogue publishers, and operatives will use deliberately misleading patter that is often carefully scripted to sell advertising space in various types of publications - wall planners, diaries, yearbooks, crime prevention or drugs awareness booklets, etc. Costs usually range from about £100 to £1,000, depending upon the size of the advertisement. Often nothing will be produced at all, or only in very small numbers.

Other problems include bogus invoice scams (sending a bogus invoice for a fictitious advertisement which is often paid without question) authorisation scams (tricking employees into authorising advertisements ‘agreed’ by another colleague), repeat business scams (being asked to re-book an advertisement you have previously had when in fact you haven’t), and credibility scams (the rogue publisher will claim a connection with a worthy cause).

There are a number of steps you can take to avoid rogue publishers such as never agreeing to an advertisement over the phone, always asking for written details, and properly checking all invoices received. There are tips on how to avoid the problems and a list of possible actions that can be taken. In addition, there are the possible penalties for anyone caught perpetrating such scams.