Interesting. Try a search for fraud and scams and you will find plenty about those perpetrated by various outfits; but nothing about those perpetrated by individuals on firms.

Following my last tirade, I did receive a response from Sandra Quinn, Director of Communications, UK Payment Administration – which is, I suppose, a sort of club to which all these merchant service types belong to. From this, it is clear that I am not the only one getting a bit cheesed off by the apparent lack of pro-active action against fraudsters. I am told that banks do build up a database of these fraudsters, such data is shared with the Old Bill and that they are really after getting at the big boys. Naturally (though I find this hard to swallow as it smacks a bit of a cop-out (no pun intended)) I am also told that Plod and such are not willing to share the details of what they are actually doing. Fraud (apparently) is not a priority the Police feel they need to follow up on. They are, after all, far too busy counting the cash from their speed cameras.

Well, that’s not good enough. Going for the big profile fraudsters is all well and good but in the meanwhile there are a lot of little ones who are laughing in the face of honest traders, nicking a few quid here, a few quid there and generally having a great time – as long as they stay small – medium sized, even – there is positively no danger of the local constable heave-ho-ing into sight and carting them off to chokey.

Do not worry, because Her Majesty’s Grateful Government has set up the National Fraud Authority which has, er… meetings about fraud, “puts its weight” behind things, has some more meetings (but out in the regions) and, no doubt, “engages with the stakeholders” as well. In other words about as much help as a road hump on the M25.

There is enough focus, legislation and action on firms and traders ripping off customers – there is virtually no focus on customers ripping off firms. When was the last time “Watchdog” had a piece on how these people get millions of pounds of free goods off honest traders? Nope, I can’t think of one either.

So what would be helpful? Firstly, that someone in the local Constabulary recognises this problem and takes possession of it. We need someone who we can go to – traders need a active feed into the sharing of information by the Merchants Services and the Police, Secondly, they could also do with a list of those people whom one may wish to choose not to do business with (after all, insurance companies share info about postcodes). Not, I might stress, a blacklist, but just a list of those whom one may wish to avoid. Thirdly, traders need to see something is being done on the ground, not just in the stratosphere of organised crime. That means a bit more than merchants service types sending round the odd missive about watching out for customers wearing stripy shirts, with a black handkerchief tied around their eyes and carrying a bag marked “swag”.

Failing that, I may just as well get some credit card details from somewhere and start ordering…..