Rise in fraudsters targeting building merchants

Police are reporting a sharp rise in the number of fraudsters targeting building merchant sites.

The scam sees the materials ordered from merchants to be delivered to an address, and the goods are then paid over the phone by bogus credit cards.

The offenders then turn up themselves to collect the pre-paid materials claiming they now need them urgently.

Detective sergeant Simon Gunn from the Lincolnshire Police Economic Crime Unit, said: "We are eager to issue this warning so that anyone working in the industry can be better prepared, and be in a position to report an incident to us as soon as it happens.

"On Wednesday we arrested a 26-year-old man who has now been released under investigation, and we are eager to hear from anyone who believes they have been the victim of such incidents as the one described above."

Call 101 if you have any information.