Kent push payment scam victim hits out at fraudsters

Alexander Durtnell says the fraud was part of a wider con targeting family-run businesses

The owner of a Kent construction firm defrauded of nearly £400,000 has criticised scammers who targeted them.

In 2018, R Durtnell & Sons fell prey to "push payment" fraud where victims are tricked into sending cash to fraudsters pretending to be someone they trust.

A staff member believed their bank had called about suspicious activity on the Westerham firm's account.

Alexander Durtnell, who runs the family firm, said the scammers should "get a job... rather than stealing".

The fraudsters also targeted other companies.

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme has obtained a recording of a call from one of the other companies who were targeted to show how scammers work.

• LISTEN: "The Anatomy of a Fraud" on BBC Radio 4 or BBC Sounds

In the call, the conman establishes trust, then uses technical jargon, and then creates a sense of urgency to persuade the victim to transfer funds.

Mr Durtnell is the 14th generation of his family to run R Durtnell & Sons

The fraud was part of a wider con targeting family-run businesses.

Mr Durtnell said: "It was pretty low. It becomes a lot more personal, I think, because it's our invested time and money and feelings."

The fraudsters were convicted and sentenced to 16 years.

Tamlyn Edmonds, a fraud prosecutor and partner at law firm Edmonds Marshall McMahon said more needed to be done against fraud.

She said: "Most frauds go underreported and [of] those that are reported, only a tiny fraction are investigated so there's no deterrent effect."

The Home Office said the government "continues to use the full force of the law" against fraudsters, and that £1.6bn had been recovered in criminal assets over the past six years.

It said £100m was being invested to create a National Fraud Squad.

Chief Superintendent Oliver Shaw for Action Fraud said fraud was now in the Strategic Policing Requirement, making it a priority for every police force.

He added that Action Fraud would be working with regional teams and with more resources, as well as launching a new reporting system for victims and issuing more fraud warnings next year.

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