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'Please don't use the website' - Warning to customers as Halesowen toy shop owner becomes scam victim

A Halesowen shop owner who is an apparent victim of business fraud is warning the public and potential customers not to use a website set up in his name.

Plus
By Paul Jenkins
Published

Jonathan Hughes set up Nevaland Toys, on Stourbridge Road next to Halesowen Town FC in November last year after working 15 years as a retail manager and has been very successful in establishing a 'treasure trove' mix of retro and modern toys which he prides on providing items for adults and children.

Nevaland Toys in Halesowen, a new shop run by Jonathan Hughes who appears to bethe victim of business identity theft. He is pictured with the fake web site on his laptop, and on some paperwork showing how his business has been registered, supposedly from a Ghanaian man.
Nevaland Toys in Halesowen, a new shop run by Jonathan Hughes who appears to bethe victim of business identity theft. He is pictured with the fake web site on his laptop, and on some paperwork showing how his business has been registered, supposedly from a Ghanaian man.

But recently his trade name, a picture of the store and telephone number have been cloned fraudulently from his Google business account and appeared on a website which looks genuine but which he has not set up himself.

Inside Nevaland Toys in Halesowen and Jonathan with the false business document set up purporting to be from his business.
Inside Nevaland Toys in Halesowen and Jonathan with the false business document set up purporting to be from his business.

Jonathan said he only uses other methods of social media to trade such as E-bay, Facebook, Tiktok and Instagram and never takes money online - he keeps items that people want to one side and they come in and purchase them.