Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster
Restaurant, hotel and pub owners and managers have been warned to remain hyper-vigilant to potential scammers, particularly in the busy Christmas trading period.
The warning comes after a well-known Belfast restaurant was recently the target of hackers who accessed its booking system to dupe customers into paying a deposit ahead of their visit whilst claiming to be from the restaurant. Hospitality Ulster has encouraged those who have been subject to, or sense a scam, to inform the establishment they have booked with and the PSNI immediately.
Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Hospitality Ulster commented:
“We understand that these scammers have been contacting customers, pretending to be from the various establishments and then asking for deposits and pocketing the money. We would encourage all those in the hospitality sector to be vigilant of these scams and urge customers to be aware of the nature of these cons. If something does not feel right, use common sense, hang up and contact the venue directly.”
“The impact of these scams on the hospitality sector cannot be understated. These scams are incredibly disruptive to the day to day running of businesses, at a time when the focus should be on ensuring a quality customer experience.”
“High profile scams have become familiar across all sectors in recent years and it is increasingly important that the hospitality sector remains vigilant to the threat posed by criminals who are keen to make a quick pound at the detriment of hardworking business owners and customers”.
“This is the time of the year when the hospitality sector is especially busy, but it is in everybody’s interest that we do not drop our guard against online criminals.”