How to spot a bogus business from a reputable one

The City of London Police have warned the public of the risks of falling victim to one of the many investment scams operated by bogus businesses that try to add a veil of respectability by working from prestigious offices in London. Criminals are believed to have stolen more than £1.73 billion from 5,252 victims last year based on crimes reported to the police last year and this figure may be even higher.

The police and other agencies are clamping down on bogus businesses and have listed some of the tell-tale signs you can use to spot them. David Clarke, our Advisory Board member and former head of the police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has produced a quick guide to the sorts of checks you can do online to satisfy yourself that the person or company you are dealing with is legitimate.

His ten minute check approach is a quick, easy and free way to get a feel for who you’re about to do business with and can save a lot of heartache later on. You can view his post on Linked-in by clicking here