Start-up company cheats suppliers

Some suppliers have  accused a newly-started trading company of duping them of a “few million riyals”, months after a similar case of alleged fraud made headlines,

With more traders coming out with complaints,  details of the new “scam” are emerging.

Representatives of some of the business houses affected by the fraud told Gulf Times that the “company’s” operators had issued them post-dated cheques for the supply of different products. However, these started bouncing as the account did not have any balance. The operators could not be traced by then.

The “company’s” warehouse-cum-office, which the suppliers say is closed at present, is located close to a roundabout near Al Jassiya Street in New Wakrah. Its operators had some other businesses locally until a few years ago, it was  learnt.

The manager of one of the affected establishments claimed that his group had supplied safety gadgets and related equipment to the “company” for over QR100,000 against a post-dated cheque issued by its operators.

“Before we supplied the goods, we had made enquiries with their bank and it was found that the ‘company had adequate cash balance in its account,” he recalled. However, when they recently made further enquiries with the bank, the account showed no balance, he added.

Two others had similar tales to narrate. One of them claimed that his loss amounted close to QR300,000 while his friend lost approximately QR200,000. They had supplied foodstuff and electrical items to the “company”.

Sources among the “victims” also alleged that one of the operators of the “company” had taken sums varying between QR20,000 and QR45,000 from many expatriates,  promising mid-level jobs in major organisations.

“We were taken in by the way the company’s officials handled their work;  most of them moved around in swanky cars and four-wheel drive vehicles while placing supply orders with local companies,” said the manager of an affected group.

He said enquiries made with the owner of the building where the “company’s” office is located, revealed that they owed him rent since June.

Further, the suppliers claimed that the  alleged kingpin had left the country two days before the start of Ramadan and was reportedly at large in southern India.

The company’s office was bustling with activity until the beginning of the month, according to neighbours. “One could see goods being loaded onto a number of vehicles even late in the evening,” said a resident.

Meanwhile, efforts are under way to seek police intervention to get the office opened. Some of the suppliers are also seeking police help to impose a travel ban on some of the managers-cum-operators before they move court against the “company”.

Late last year, suppliers in the construction and related equipment industry  had accused a Doha trading establishment of cheating them to the tune of millions of riyals. The “victims” of that scam are still to recover the lost money.

Gulf Times