Printing Industries has been inundated with reports of companies being targeted by scammers since the opening of its ScamWatch website last week.
Printing companies across the country and internationally from the USA and UK have contacted Printing Industries with examples of identical scams. Many sought advice on possible scam quotation requests.
Printing Industries National Communications and Technical Services Manager, Joe Kowalewski, said the extent of the problem was "staggering" and "alarmingly sophisticated".
"We have also been contacted by London’s Metropolitan police who are receiving similar complaints from British printing companies. They have provided identical examples of the print quotation requests they are receiving. Many include very basic and unprofessional artwork to try to make the requests look legitimate."
Mr Kowalewski said no reports had been received yet from printing companies who had advanced the requested freight payments on the basis of reimbursed in their print account. Freight prepayment is the central focus of the scam.
"The requested advances, ranging from about $2,000 to $10,000 fortunately alarm bells rang with most companies who progressed through the quotation process with these so called ‘clients’. However since the scammers willingly provide credit card details and local contact addresses and have followed up by phoning their targeted companies, the level of sophistication now being used could easily trap the unwary," he said.
"It is very likely some companies may have been caught out by either printing the flyers or advancing freight fees. If this has happened, we need the details, which will be treated confidentially and only provided to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) to assist with their investigations."
Mr Kowalewski encouraged printing companies to visit the ScamWatch pages on www.printnet.com.au to see examples of the scam letters, client names being used and artwork provided.
"Companies need to ensure their sales staff don’t waste their time on these requests and don’t get trapped into communicating with these people.
"The free public e-mail addresses such as yahoo and GMail (Google), which has been used extensively by this round of scammers, poor written literacy, novelty e-mail fonts and poor artwork – sometimes only two or three words on an A4 sheet – are good indicators that the requests are bogus," he said.
Scam information can be sent to Printing Industries via scamwatch@printnet.com.au
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