Staying Smart as a Small Business Owner

Whether your business is based out of a storefront or online, small business owners both have a lot to be grateful for and a lot of things to be worried about thanks to the advent of the Internet. While it’s never been easier for a small business to find customers from all over the world, it’s also never been easier for scammers to take advantage of you. Luckily, you’re not helpless.

There are many internet resources out there you can use in order to successfully avoid some of the most common scams out there. Staying smart is not impossible when you’re a small business owner.

Common Red Flags to Watch Out For

Small business owners unfortunately are uniquely positioned to become prime targets of online scammers. Every business owner will have to deal with an array of common scams, such as offers to “list your business on Google” or receive special access to supposed favorable loans over the phone.

In general, there’s a few easy ways to tell whether or not someone calling you about a business opportunity is a scam. For example, consider whether or not the person calling you over the phone is asking you for personal information. If they are, that’s a bad sign. Never, ever give personal information over the phone even if someone is offering you what sounds like a fantastic business opportunity.

Google, for example, will never contact you over the phone and they certainly won’t ask you to pay money to improve your chances of appearing as one of the first results when someone looks for a specific term.

Be wary of anyone who mails you a check from a bank you’ve never heard of. Don’t immediately deposit any check you’re sent, no matter what the reason. Always take it to the bank and ask for them to verify whether or not it is legitimate.

If an opportunity sounds too good to be true it probably is. While you may encounter customers who are kind and who make big orders on your products, you can tell them apart from scammers because they don’t ask you to wire money and their requests are likely not unusual.

Be wary of anyone offering loans over the phone, especially if they represent a financial institution you have never heard of. Always apply for loans in person at a legitimate bank or other financial institution.

Identifying Scams

Don’t rely on just a phone number to decide whether a caller is someone you can trust. Take some additional measures to make sure that whoever you’re talking to is legitimate. For instance, always search for phone numbers you’re not familiar with on reverse cell number phone lookup services. With many sites offering free reverse cell phone lookup number services, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t be doing this already. Reverse phone cell number lookup services use publicly available information in order to see what demographic information they can find about the owner of the phone, such as their name, general location, and any reports people may have made about the number.

Never provide credit card information or other personal information over the phone, especially if you are not so sure what kind of company you’re dealing with. If you are purchasing a business related service, always consider these kinds of services in a face to face setting or do your research about the company that the person claims they represent. Search for the company over the Internet.

If you believe you have encountered a scammer, don’t hesitate. File a report with your local police department and with the FTC so that these con artists can be put to.