News 7 www.aftermarketonline.net APRIL 2026 Independent workshops warned of the rise in friendly fraud cases Tyre and vehicle maintenance specialist Point S UK is urging independent garages to be vigilant following a significant rise in chargeback fraud, a deceptive practice it says is increasingly targeting automotive service businesses across the country. In the scam, also known as “friendly fraud”, customers make a legitimate booking, have work carried out, and pay by card, then contact their bank to reverse the payment. The practice now accounts for up to an estimated 80% of all chargebacks, according to widely cited industry research, and Point S UK is aware that several of its members have already been affected. For independent garages, the financial damage is multi-layered. As well as reversing the full cost of parts and labour, banks typically charge an additional £28 plus VAT for every disputed transaction. Then businesses face a time-consuming administrative burden when challenging the claim, taking resource away from day-to-day operations. Garages whose chargeback rate consistently exceeds 1% also risk higher card processing fees or, in the most serious cases, losing their merchant account entirely. Fraudsters actively target businesses they perceive as having weaker payment controls, making the review and strengthening of internal procedures one of the most effective deterrents a garage can deploy. Point S UK is encouraging workshops to seek specialist advice on how to best safeguard their payment processes. By staying vigilant and updating procedures, garages can protect their margins, reduce exposure to fraudulent claims, and ensure they remain a secure environment for genuine customers. Ali Yilmaz, Managing Director of Point S UK said: “This is a growing threat that independent garages cannot afford to ignore. Fraudsters are opportunistic. Businesses that are seen to have robust payment procedures in place are far less likely to be targeted. Every workshop should be aware of the risk and take the necessary steps to protect their business and their margins.” A white paper from the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) has shown that 82% of personal protective equipment (PPE) products sourced from non-registered suppliers did not meet required standards during testing in 2025. BSIF testing and compliance assessments were carried out on 88 PPE products sourced from suppliers outside the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier Scheme between January 2025 and January 2026. In total, 116 individual tests were conducted, alongside detailed reviews of certification, technical documentation, and product marking. Worryingly, only 18% of the products tested met all applicable regulatory requirements. The remaining 82% failed due to technical performance failures, missing or invalid certification, inadequate documentation, incorrect product marking, or a combination of these issues. Some 43% of products tested resulted in a direct technical performance failure, however, the overall non-compliance rate rose sharply once documentation and marking issues were included. Under UK PPE regulations, products that lack valid certification, Declarations of Conformity, or correct CE/UKCA markings are deemed non-compliant regardless of laboratory performance. A detailed breakdown of the failure rates by PPE category can be found in the whitepaper, but headlines include 100% of hearing protection products tested failing to meet required standards, with similar issues found in 86% of eye and face protection products and 79% of safety footwear. By contrast, PPE sourced from BSIF Registered Safety Suppliers demonstrated a 96% compliance rate, with any issues typically limited to minor documentation matters that were addressed promptly. BSIF is urging buyers, specifiers, and dutyholders to verify supplier credentials, scrutinise documentation, and look for the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier shield as a clear indicator of compliance, transparency, and a commitment to high standards. tinyurl.com/245y423e Testing highlights widespread failures in PPE safety and compliance
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