The UK’s Food Standards Agency and police are warning food companies to be on the alert to a fraud that may have affected a number of food businesses across the country. The fraud, which involves identity theft, could result in unsafe food being offered for sale, the FSA said.

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The fraudsters are alleged to have targeted small legitimate wholesale food businesses that supply meat, seafood and fruit and vegetables. The alleged offenders work by acquiring authentic letter heads of the legitimate company and changing the telephone, email and fax details. They then contact a genuine wholesaler/importer and place a food order with them.


This business, after completing credit checks, agrees to supply the food; however, before the delivery is made, the driver is contacted and the location switched – usually to the roadside or a car park. The fraudsters then make off with the goods and attempt to sell them on elsewhere.


West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit is leading the investigation into the fraud, which has affected a number of businesses in West Yorkshire as well as other firms across the country.


Detective Sergeant Peter McBay, of West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This fraudulent activity has cost a number of legitimate food companies many thousands of pounds and has also raised questions about the safety of the food that is stolen from the delivery vehicles. Some of the food has cropped up for sale in locations around the country but we do not know how it has been stored in the meantime.

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“We would urge all food businesses to be on the lookout for this sort of fraud.”