Fraudsters target food businesses

Thursday 24 September 2009

The Food Standards Agency is warning food business operators to be aware of fraudsters who are visiting food business premises claiming that they are from the Agency.

The fraudsters claim that they are there to carry out inspections and then extract substantial amounts of money as a fixed penalty fee for the premises being allegedly unhygienic.

The Agency does not carry out food inspections and there are no fixed penalties for food safety breaches. All inspections are carried out by local authority authorised inspectors who carry relevant identification when visiting a food business.

If your food business is visited by anyone claiming to be from the Food Standards Agency you should not part with any money and should contact the local police or your local authority.

You can also report the crime by emailing foodfraud@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk or report any known or suspected food fraud by telephoning the food fraud hotline, tel: 020 7276 8527.

More on the Agency's Food Fraud Advisory Unit can be found at the link below.