Almost a third of UK businesses, (31%), have been targeted by fraudsters over the past eighteen months, reveals recent research carried out by Graydon UK, the commercial credit referencing agency.

The survey also finds that 22% of firms believe that the problem of commercial fraud is getting worse. According to Martin Williams, Managing Director of Graydon UK: “Fraud remains a persistent threat to business stability.

Over the past year more than two-thirds of small businesses have been a victim of crime costing them up to £3,000, according to a report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

More than a third (39%) of small firms do not report such crimes. The report, Localism and tackling crimes against business, explains why: nearly half (46%) said they didn't think it would achieve anything, a third (34%) thought the police would not be able to succeed in prosecution and a quarter (25%) said they thought the police just would not be interested.