Trading standards has issued a warning after international fraudsters targeted Dundee City Council in a Flower and Food Festival scam.
The council received a letter from a company calling itself the International Fairs Directory, asking for it to confirm details about the annual Camperdown Park festival for inclusion in a listings directory.
Although the letter does not ask for any money, the small print says signing and returning the form commits to paying 1212 euros just under £1,000 a year for the next three years.
The letter is what is known as a directory scam, a swindle that is believed to have originated in Central or South America.
Dundee Trading Standards manager Ken Daly said any companies that have previously exhibited at the Flower and Food Festival should not be taken in by the official looking forms.
He said: “These things surface now and then. The interesting thing is that it is targeting the Flower and Food Festival. We are advising anyone who exhibited at the festival to watch out.
“The small print commits you to paying 1,212 euros a year for three years.
“It asks for your correct details and is actually an order form.”
The letter comes with a pre-paid return envelope for an address in France.
“These scams seem to originate in South America but the envelope goes back to France although there’s not much you can do to track them down.”
Mr Daly said anyone who receives one of the letters should “throw it in the bin” or, if they have any doubts, contact Trading Standards directly.
VisitScotland also issued a warning about the International Fairs Directory last year.
A notice issued by the national tourism agency stated: “Please note that VisitScotland/Scottish Tourist Board has no association with Connect Publisher which produces the International Fairs Directory www.inter-fairs.coma website listing events and organisers from around the world. We also have no affiliation with any other listing company who might contact you.
“VisitScotland has reason to believe that www.inter-fairs.com, a company operating out of Mexico, is targeting our exhibitors to purchase a three-year commitment of advertising that is cleverly disguised as an offer of a free directory listing.
“By signing the form the exhibitor is committing to a full sized listing on International Fairs Directory, at a cost shown in small print, for three years or more.”