Fraudsters demanding cash for food hygiene ratings targeting businesses

18 April 2019 by
Fraudsters demanding cash for food hygiene ratings targeting businesses

Fraudsters claiming to be from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are targeting businesses demanding money for a hygiene re-rating and warning that failure to pay will result in a fine.

The FSA has issued a warning after reports that businesses were targeted in both England and Wales. The government body said it would never demand money in this way adding that local authorities would only charge if a re-rating inspection was requested by a business.

Angela Towers, head of the food hygiene rating team, said: "Although the number of reports of this particular scam are low, we are concerned that businesses may lose money to fraudsters pretending to be from the FSA or a local authority. If you are approached by someone asking you to hand over money in this way, do not make any payment and always advise your local authority."

Nearly half of customers put off by hygiene rating of less than four out of five>>

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking