{"id":6481,"date":"2024-10-23T15:10:20","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T15:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/a-scammer-is-imitating-your-business-online-what-can-you-do\/"},"modified":"2024-10-23T15:10:20","modified_gmt":"2024-10-23T15:10:20","slug":"a-scammer-is-imitating-your-business-online-what-can-you-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=6481","title":{"rendered":"A Scammer Is Imitating Your Business Online. What Can You Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Federal Trade Commission received more than 330,000 reports of scammers impersonating businesses in 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Some of these scammers pretend to be major corporations like Amazon or Best Buy, the FTC says. But small businesses are at risk too, says Scott Taber, a cybersecurity awareness program specialist at the Michigan Small Business Development Center.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThere\u2019s always been this idea that small businesses are too small. But we know that\u2019s not true \u2014 that cyber criminals specifically target small businesses because of that fact,\u201d Taber says. \u201cSmall businesses typically don\u2019t have the same resources as the larger organizations.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You can take steps to protect your business from fraudsters even without a dedicated risk or security team. Here are some simple ways to spot and address imitation scams.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How to find out if you\u2019re being imitated<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Take a half-hour each day to perform \u201conline hygiene\u201d by searching for information about your business, suggests Melanie McGovern, director of public relations and social media at the Better Business Bureau. That can help you notice anything unusual.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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For instance, McGovern says, even businesses that don\u2019t have websites may be listed in third-party directories. Scammers can find those directories \u2014 which usually include identifying details about your business, like its address \u2014 and create an online presence, then start making fraudulent sales. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s unfortunately how the scammers think,\u201d McGovern says. \u201cThat\u2019s an opportunity for them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Monitoring financial records like your <\/span>business credit reports<\/span> can show potential issues as well. For example, Taber says, a scammer might try to open up new lines of credit or make large purchases in your name. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He recommends paying attention to customer feedback, too. If a customer gets a strange email or friend request and they report it to you, take time to investigate.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re probably going to be one of the best ways to advise you that something\u2019s going on,\u201d Taber says.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How to respond to an imitation scam<\/span><\/h2>\n
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The most common imitation scams reported to the FTC in 2023 included:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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