UK polymer distributor Plastribution (Ashby-de-la-Zouch; www.plastribution.co.uk) has warned resin makers to be on the lookout for scammers attempting to obtain materials by pretending to be the company.

Plastribution said fraudsters have been using publicly available financial data, such as information at the UK government’s corporate registry Companies House, to target various polymer producers for illicit supply. The company said its financial records up until April 2022, and potentially fictional data beyond that date, had been observed as playing a part in the scam.

It explained that as well as using available and fabricated information, criminals have contacted potential victims with slightly altered email addresses such as info@plastributions.co.uk, which featured the letter “s” added to the end of the company name, and with similar but different telephone details.

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The intended destination for the goods was also often an African country, the group reported, citing Uganda as an example.

Plastribution warned that while polymer producers have been the primary targets so far, compounders, distributors, and traders could be next. It advised all suppliers to implement robust due diligence procedures and exercise “Know Your Customer” precautions.

Mike Boswell, Plastribution’s managing director, said, “It is regrettable that criminals are exploiting Plastribution’s solid financial reputation to deceive suppliers and acquire goods through fraudulent means.”

Boswell, the former president of the British Plastics Federation (BPF, London; www.bpf.co.uk), noted, “While we can do little to prevent impersonation fraud entirely, we aim to raise awareness and strongly advise potential victims to exercise comprehensive precautions when extending credit and scrutinising new delivery locations. Furthermore, we want to emphasise that Plastribution’s IT security remains uncompromised.”