Police warn Lohja businesses about rising fraud risks during transactions

The West Uusimaa Police are warning businesses about the risks of fraud during commercial transactions. If an entrepreneur fails to verify the information of the buyer, they may fall victim to scams. The police are currently investigating what is being classified as a serious attempt at fraud, alongside a case of fraud involving unauthorized orders made in the name of a company based in Lohja.

The suspicious activity came to light when the Lohja entrepreneur received a phone call from another business inquiring whether they had attempted to open a credit account using their company information. It turned out that the entrepreneur had not initiated any such account, preventing a potential scam.

Shortly thereafter, the same entrepreneur was contacted by a different company, which informed them about a fuel order worth over €20,000 placed in their name via email. The fuel seller’s suspicions were alerted and they assisted the entrepreneur in blocking the fraudulent transaction.

Unfortunately, on a third occasion, the fraud was successful; a product valued at nearly €10,000 was ordered and delivered using the Lohja entrepreneur’s details. Senior Constable Henrik Laurell stated in a press release that the police aim to use this case as a cautionary example for other entrepreneurs regarding fraud. According to Laurell, the alertness of fellow entrepreneurs helped avert losses totaling several tens of thousands of euros.