Scam alert for premises licence holders

Premises licence holders are being alerted to a scam that has been attempted in several local authority areas around the country, including Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council has urged businesses with premises licences to be aware of fraudsters posing as council officials and asking traders to pay outstanding fees into a personal account.

The scam usually starts with a call or text message claiming that a premises licence is about to expire or that there are outstanding annual fees. On some occasions, the fraudster has even visited the premises.

These fraudsters can seem very convincing, sometimes having accurate information such as the outstanding fee or the names of actual council staff.

Premises licences do not expire, and any fees due will be handled by the council through the usual process. Licence holders are never asked to pay or provide financial details over the phone for licence fees. Any legitimate requests for payment will be made in writing, with details of how payment should be made. 

Councillor Jim Garner, cabinet member for stronger communities, said: “If you're ever in doubt about someone claiming to be from the council, contact the council directly to verify their identity.

“Scammers will go to great lengths to exploit businesses, so we urge owners to be vigilant and protect their establishments.”

If you think you may have been the victim of a scam, you should report this to Action Fraud via their website or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Darlington Borough Council’s Licensing Team can be contacted on 01325 405888 or by email at [email protected].