Issued By Lancashire County Council

Ignore Hoax Circular Asking For ‘Business Cards For Dying Boy’

Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service is asking businesses, schools and organisations to ignore a callous chain letter which has re-emerged in Lancashire asking for business cards to be sent to a child using the names ‘Richard/Craig/John’ at various addresses in Shelby Road, Carshalton, Surrey who is allegedly terminally ill with cancer and seeking to achieve a Guinness Book of Records entry for the largest collection of business cards / compliment slips.

This letter should be ignored as the original plea dates back some 15 years, and ended when a child from Carshalton recovered from his illness.

County Councillor Tim Ormrod, Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Rural Affairs said:

“Unfortunately variations of this chain letter and address periodically reappear and in the past have been used to obtain business information which has then resulted in firms being targeted for unsolicited goods and services.

“Lancashire County Council Trading Standards last warned business against a similar letter about three years ago and it has now re-emerged.  Please do not waste time and postage in responding to the present chain letter which is doing the rounds again in Lancashire.”