FSB calls for legislation to protect SMEs from fraud
Consumer protection should be extended to small businesses, body claims
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is lobbying the government to provide small firms with more protection against the UK's growing army of fraudsters.
According to the independent organisation, small businesses will continue to fall victim to scams unless the government extends its protection for consumers to include SMEs. It claimed that a clause in the 2002 Enterprise Act excludes small firms and the self-employed from protection by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Stop Now Orders.
A representative from the FSB said: "Those most vulnerable to scams are people who don't have the expertise or time to differentiate between what is real and what isn't.
"More and more scams are targeted at small firms, and we are calling on the government to extend its definition of consumer to include small firms and for the OFT to protect [them]."
Bob Jones, managing director of SME appliance vendor Equiinet, welcomed the initiative.
"It's a shame that the government sees fit to create a distinction between individuals and businesses. A prime example is spam: it is now illegal to email individuals, but not businesses. We can only go so far to help firms protect themselves; some control at source is needed, which involves legislation."
David Reynolds, founder of accounting body the Independent Association of Accountants Information Technology Consultants, said: "SMEs are as open to fraud as consumers, and I would support anything that encourages the government to help the small business community."
But Clive Longbottom, service director at Quocirca, said the onus is on businesses to protect themselves. "Consumers have to be protected by the government because they are not as aware, but it is down to company owners to realise whether something is a scam or not. I don't think we need any more laws."