BUSINESSES are being warned to be vigilant about Christmas scams after a Poole-based company was nearly conned out of £7,000.

Borough of Poole’s environmental and consumer protection services is urging people to be aware of seemingly professional-looking web sites.

Internet based business scottishwholesalexmastrees.com appeared to be offering wholesale deals for the purchase of trees grown at its farm near Aviemore, Scotland, but the deal proved too good to be true.

“Their website looked very professional and was heavily advertised on search engines etc,” said Andy Shimmen, trading standards officer.

“The business seemed perfectly legitimate with an Inverness telephone number and address.

Fortunately our local business was clued up enough to ask a few questions before placing any order, which raised their suspicions.

“He asked to visit the farm to see their trees before paying, but they were evasive.

“They later sent through an invoice for payment without a proper address which is when he contacted trading standards.

“We tried raising our concerns about the business with scottishwholesalexmastrees.com but didn’t get very satisfactory answers to our questions so we had very serious doubts that the site was genuine and the Christmas trees actually existed,” he said.

Trading standards in the Highlands discovered the website was hosted in America using a false address and responses to emails were being generated through a tablet computer in Portugal and Spain.

Cllr Xena Dion, cabinet portfolio for consumer protection said: “We often think of scam victims as being elderly or vulnerable but this shows how sophisticated some scams are.

“Any of us could be at risk if we don’t keep our wits about us and think carefully before committing to ordering goods.

“Technology is such these days that it’s possible to rip consumers or businesses off without even being in the same country.

“Thanks to the Poole business who reported it and the intervention of trading standards, this website was identified at an early stage and we were able to get it taken down within a few days.”

How To Avoid Shopping Pitfalls

Choose shopping sites carefully and check on them. Click on Howard the Online Shopping Assistant at ukecc.net or check the register of domain names at nominet.org.uk.

Ensure the site is secure, look for https in the address and the padlock sign.

Is there a postal address?

Contact the authorities if you spot something suspicious.