Perth and Kinross Council’s trading standards team is warning local businesses to be aware of a new VAT scam.
The local authority’s city centre management have received at least 40 reports to date of the scam.
Businesses have received letters from a German company implying there is an obligation under EU law for them to provide this company with their VAT registration number.
Written in small print is the information that once the form is completed and returned, there will be an annual charge of £797 for at least three years for their VAT registration number to appear on a website hosted by the company.
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “Businesses should be aware there is no obligation for them to provide any information to the company.
The UK Corporate Portal is a commercial company and has nothing to do with the UK Government or the EU.”