UK-headquartered shipbroker Century Marine Services has fallen victim to a sophisticated fraud by a Dubai based firm calling itself Matin Marine Services.
Despite having no business relationship with Century Marine, Matin Marine Services has been passing itself off as connected with Century Marine by hacking the company’s website. The Dubai police authorities have been informed.
“We were alerted to the fraud yesterday by a call from a trader who had reportedly sold a consignment of frozen fish to Matin and who was unpaid,” said Century Marine managing director Steve Dougal.
Matin Marine appears to have replicated Century Marine’s website and presented itself as having been founded by Steve Dougal who is a highly regarded shipbroker with over 20 years’ experience and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.
He warned any company being approached by Matin Marine Services to act with the greatest of care and to advise Century Marine.
“If this can happen to a niche British shipbroking company, it can happen to any business,” he said.
Century Marine is engaged in the sale and purchase and valuation of tugs, barges, offshore and other specialist vessels.
