The College has been alerted to the scam by several small animal practices.

Caller has a North American accent and claims to be from ‘Media Services’

The RCVS has issued a warning to the profession about a potential telephone scam which appears to be targeting RCVS-accredited small animal veterinary practices across the UK.

The College says that it has been alerted to the scam by several small animal practices, who have received a telephone call from someone using the names Mark Mitchell and Mark Holdin, from a company called ‘Media Services’. It adds that the individual has a North American accent but appears to be phoning from Germany.

‘Mark claims to be calling on behalf of the RCVS in order to update email details, the given reason being that people no longer respond to their faxes. He may or may not also mention that ‘Media Services’ needs to update the practice’s location on ‘City Maps’,’ said the RCVS.

‘Once Mark has established up-to-date email addresses over the phone, he then emails through a form bearing the RCVS Accredited Practice logo and asks the practice to handwrite their email address on the form, stamps it with a practice stamp, sign it, and email it back.

‘What is not made clear is that the form is a two-year contract for advertising services, at a cost of £35 per month, or £840 in total, per practice premises.’

The RCVS states that it has not contracted out any data maintenance services to “Media Services’, nor has it employed or contracted anyone under the name of Mark Mitchell or Mark Holdin.

It adds that, because the contract has been obtained through deception, it is not thought to be legally binding.

Anyone concerned about a communication they may have received purporting to be from the RCVS is encouraged to call the College to verify its authenticity on 020 7222 2001. Do not sign any contracts with, or make payments to, any third party individuals or companies unless you are certain of their authenticity.