Police warn on pro-forma scam

Police are warning businesses to be on the lookout for a company sending pro-forma invoicing and claiming to support a police initiative.
Each year the Managers' Guild Trust (formerly the Police Managers' Guild Trust) produces a community crime prevention magazine that is distributed free to households around New Zealand. The booklet is supported by businesses, which can place an advertisement in the magazine. Proceeds from the magazine are distributed to charities.
But this year, another company has been sending out pro-forma invoicing to regular advertisers that have appeared in the Managers' Guild Trust publication. The company claims to publish a similar publication called Crime Talk.
The Managers' Guild Trust publishes its official magazine. Trust campaign co-ordinator Joe Allen said today that Crime Talk had been sending out "very convincing" pro-forma invoicing to businesses, that gave the impression they were producing a bona fide police publication.
"We would urge any business that has been contacted by Crime Talk, to stay well clear of them. They have absolutely nothing to do with police or the Managers' Guild Trust and they do not have the support of the police in any shape or form.
"We know that some of our regular advertisers have already been duped by this company and they are very distressed by this. They were under the impression that Crime Talk was being published by the Managers' Guild Trust. That is certainly not the case," Mr Allen said.
Crime Talk has been sending out pro-forma invoicing to businesses using copies of advertisements as they appeared in the Managers' Guild Trust magazine in previous years. Many businesses had paid the company "large amounts" of money.
Mr Allen said the problem was discovered when Managers' Guild Trust workers began contacting advertisers about this year's publication. Many said they had "already paid up".
If any businesses are approached with pro-forma invoicing relating to a police publication, they can contact their nearest police station for clarification.
Mr Allen said the matter had been referred to the Commerce Commission. Managers' Guild Trust representatives would continue to contact advertisers with a view to supporting this year's official publication.
Businesses affected have mainly been in the Waikato and Central North Island districts, but the Managers' Guild Trust believes Crime Talk has been targetting all areas around the country.