• 67% of SME businesses under attack from international fraudsters in last year.
• International Business Directories, False invoices and phishing* particularly problematic.
• Millions of euro at risk.
• Small enterprises must be extremely vigilant, particularly during holiday season.

ISME, Monday 29^th April 2013

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has issued a warning to all businesses to be extremely vigilant, particularly during the holiday period, as international fraudsters are targeting the Irish enterprise community. The Association outlined the many different types of scams, including false advance fee contracts, entries into business directories, email phishing, bogus bank account verification and confirmation of “winnings” in international lotteries as being among the favourite scams perpetrated. Read the rest of this entry »

•    ISME warns retailers to be vigilant as €155,000 stolen every hour.

•    Shoplifting costing businesses €44m over Christmas shopping period.

•    Retailers twice as likely to be targeted over festive season.

•    Half of all shops to be victims of shoplifters during Christmas.

•    Shoplifting adding 3% to price of products.

ISME, Tuesday 18th December 2012

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has warned retailers and their customers to be extra vigilant during the Christmas and New Year period as they are being targeted by shoplifters and pickpockets. The Association outlined that retailers are twice as likely to be victims of shoplifting over the Christmas, as the level of crime rises due to the recession. Read the rest of this entry »

•    Millions of Euro at risk from increase in Business Scams and Fraud.

•    64% of SME businesses have been targeted in last 12 months.

•    International Business Directories, Overseas Offers, False invoices and Phishing particularly problematic.

•    Debt Collection Agencies being duped into acting for fraudsters.

•    ISME warns small companies to be on their guard particularly during Holiday Season.

ISME, Friday 22nd June 2012

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has warned all businesses to be extremely vigilant, as fraudsters are targeting the enterprise community, attempting to rip off small companies, with a number of scams, including false advance fee contracts, entries into business directories, email phishing, bogus bank account verification and confirmation of “winnings” in international lotteries, being among the favourite scams perpetrated.

Read the rest of this entry »

•Legitimate business being undermined by increase in illegal operators.

•Disappointing Retail figures a clear indication of threat to 50,000 jobs in sector.

•Surge in black market costing jobs.
ISME, Wednesday 28th March 2012.
ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has demanded stronger government action to stamp out the black economy and the rogue traders involved. Reacting to the latest Retail Sales figures issued by the CSO today (Wednesday 28th March), the Association pointed to the continuing decline in legitimate sales contrasted to the surge in black market activity across a range of products from cigarettes to diesel. Read the rest of this entry »

•€40m cost to retailers over festive season.

•Retailers twice as likely to be targeted over festive season.

•Half of all shops to be victims of shoplifters during Christmas.

•Pickpockets thrive in ‘Christmas rush’.

ISME, Tuesday 20th December 2011

ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has warned retailers and their customers to be extra vigilant during the Christmas period as they are being targeted by shoplifters and pickpockets. The Association outlined that evidence indicates that the level of crime is rising, blaming the recession for the surge in criminal activities. Read the rest of this entry »

•    Crime costing small businesses €1.48bn per annum, up 10% on previous year.

•    One-third of SMEs have been the victim of crime in the last 12 months.

•    63% of companies experienced more than one instance of crime.

•    Two-thirds of companies believe that crime levels are getting worse.

•    88% outline a complete lack of faith in the judicial system.

•    Tougher court sentencing and increased Garda presence demanded.

•    Separate recording of business crime urgently needed.

The NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY, issued today (3rd June 2011), by ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, confirms that the incidence and costs of crime against business has increased in the last 12 months, with the recession a significant reason, according to SME owner managers. The Association called for the law enforcement agencies to put particular emphasis on addressing business crime, an area that has not, to date, received the attention it deserves. Read the rest of this entry »