They became known as the ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ of the print industry after they left hundreds of authors out of pocket and many printers with unpaid invoices.

Based in Barry, South Wales, print broker Neill Malcolm Stuart John and his partner Clare Hunnisett set up various online print businesses which consistently took money up front from self-publishers but failed to deliver completed orders and sometimes failed to deliver anything. They also placed orders with scores of print firms across Europe but didn’t pay the all the invoices.

Eventually ICSM Credit managed to bring them to book by submitting evidence from ripped off customers and printers to the authorities and their enterprises were shut down in the high court.

Now ICSM Credit has been alerted to the activities of similar new ‘book publishers’ who may be in the process of copying the ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ scam. A number of members have reported they have been approached for quotes of short run books from unheard of firms with the promise of hundreds of orders if they take on the work with long credit terms.

Ian Carrotte of ICSM Credit said: “It is sheer folly for a printer to accept an order from a new customer unless they pay in advance. Online printers only accept orders with full payment for the job as most of their clients are unknown to them. It is very easy to set up an online print service and give the appearance of being an established business. Never accept an order from a new customer until you have credit checked them.”

About ICSM Credit

ICSM Credit has more than four decades of experience as a credit intelligence group whose members gain inside information about firms in trouble allowing them to avoid bad debts and rogue traders. To join costs less than a tank of fuel - while at the moment there's a special free temporary membership offer during the Covid-19 crisis which gives access to free legal letters. ICSM also has an effective debt collecting service which has a global reach - ask for details from Paul.

For details about ICSM Credit call 0844 854 1850 or visit the website www.icsmcredit.com or email Ian at Ian.carrotte@icsmcredit.com on how to subscribe and to join the UK’s credit intelligence network to avoid bad debts and late payers. Follow ICSM Credit on FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube and Ian Carrotte on LinkedIn.

To keep up to date subscribe to the FREE ICSM Credit Newsletter to hear all the latest insolvency news and to see who has gone out of business click on the orange panel on the top left of the home page of the website www.icsmcredit.com or send an email to Ian.carrotte@icsmcredit.com

For details for the work of the journalist Harry Mottram visit www.harrymottram.co.uk