A caller claims to be a court bailiff collecting a debt you do not owe — and threatens to visit your premises
Fraudsters impersonate county court bailiffs and enforcement agents, claiming to collect on a CCJ for a magazine advertising debt that does not exist. They demand payment by bank transfer and threaten to seize goods if refused. Businesses are the primary target; no CCJ paperwork ever arrives because the debt is fabricated.
Also known as: fake bailiff scam UK, phantom debt fraud UK, bogus enforcement agent UK, ghost debt collection scam, fake CCJ debt call
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
- 1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
- 2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
- 3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.
What to do right now
- 1 Do not make any payment — hang up and do not call back any number they provide
- 2 Real court bailiffs send paperwork by post before they can collect; if a genuine CCJ exists you will have received court documents — check your records
- 3 Verify independently: contact the court they name using a number from the official HM Courts and Tribunals Service website at https://www.gov.uk/find-court-tribunal
- 4 Contact your local council or Citizens Advice to check whether a CCJ has actually been issued against your business
- 5 Report to Report Fraud at https://www.reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
Red flags
- ⚠ A cold call from a 'bailiff' or 'enforcement agent' demands immediate payment for a debt you have no knowledge of — real bailiffs always send written court notices before attending
- ⚠ The alleged debt is for a magazine advertisement subscription your business never entered into
- ⚠ The caller demands payment by bank transfer and offers no receipts or verifiable contact details afterwards
- ⚠ They threaten to arrive at your premises and seize goods if you do not pay immediately by phone
- ⚠ The 'bailiff names' they give match those of real certified enforcement agents listed online — fraudsters harvest these names to sound legitimate