Learning how to avoid scams in a small business can save you a lot of money and time. Scammers have specific tactics they use to social engineer you and your staff into doing what they want. You need to know what those tactics are and what to look for to avoid being sucked in to the scam.

There are 11 basic types of scams you need to look out for as a small business. The Federal Trade Commission has put together a guide to help small businesses navigate these. Here are just four of the tactics that scammers use to trick small businesses:

1. Pretend to be someone the business trusts.
They make themselves seem believable by pretending to be connected with a company you know or a government agency.

2. Create a sense of urgency.
They rush you into making a quick decision before you look into it.

3. Use intimidation and fear.
They tell you that something terrible is about to happen to get you to send a payment before you have a chance to check out their claims.

4. Use untraceable payment methods.
They often want payment through wire transfers, reloadable cards, or gift cards that are nearly impossible to reverse or track.

If you’d like to learn more about the 11 types of scams and how to protect your small business from them, the online form below will give you access to download the full guide from the FTC “Scams and Your Small Business.”

— Todd Sheppard /// Centriworks Chief Information Officer