Things to Know to Avoid Being Scammed

You got duped. Deceived, hoodwinked, bamboozled. You went against your gut (and you didn't check BBB.org) and someone just walked away with your valuable money or time. Getting scammed is not a great feeling. In an effort to avoid getting this, familiarize yourself with these six ways to avoid getting scammed!

1. Do Not take someone at their word. Always do your homework. Ask lots of questions and check with your BBB. If a business tells you they are accredited with BBB, double check. It’s always best to be skeptical and thorough when dealing with businesses and solicitors.
2. Do Not become emotional. Never allow yourself to get wrapped up in the story a solicitor is telling you. Scammers feed on people who allow their emotions to dictate their actions. If you believe their tragic or sad or exciting story, the scammer is more likely to make money off of you.
3. 

   Know common persuasion tactics. Scammers like to try to ignite emotion in their victim. They either manipulate the victim’s emotions or use fear to get what they want. If you get an unexpected phone call and are being asked for money (recently people were getting phone calls from the IRS demanding immediate payments with the threat of jail time if the payments were not made immediately) ask questions. If you have an uneasy feeling about something call your BBB. Never blindly hand out your personal information or money.
4. Do Not act impulsively. Downloading files, clicking pop-ups, signing up for trial offers, and opening emails from unknown senders are all behaviors to avoid if you want to protect yourself from a scam or from being hacked.  
5. Do Not be afraid to be rude. Often the people who end up scammed are those who feel bad about hanging up the phone or shutting the door in someone’s face.
6. Always protect your personal information. This last tip is vital. Always shred personal documents or keep them locked up. Shred credit card offers that come in the mail. Anything that has your social security number or your banking information on it needs to be destroyed. Never use the same password for all of your accounts and change it frequently.

What other ways can you think of to help avoid scams! Comment Below!

Beware of Solicitations from Local Business Yellow Pages

BBB has recently received numerous complaints from consumers alleging they received a fraudulent invoice from Local Business Yellow Pages for an online directory listing. Consumers claim that Local Business Yellow Pages calls their business asking general questions to solicit a "yes" answer, although the person on the call does not actually agree to the service. Months later, consumers say Local Business Yellow Pages' collections department calls, with an edited recording created to verify a "verbal agreement" between the business and Local Business Yellow Pages, to collect on a bill for over $600.00. Local Business Yellow Pages has not yet responded to these consumer complaints. 

On June 28, 2013 BBB sent certified correspondence to Local Business Yellow Pages requesting their voluntary cooperation in resolving complaints on file with BBB and providing steps it will implement to eliminate the pattern of customer complaints. BBB will update this aspect of the Business Review once 
additional information becomes available.

Your BBB offers the following tips to help businesses avoid advertising scams:

• If a solicitation occurs over the phone, ask employees to have a company submit information in writing for you to verify accuracy. If the information is received in writing, be sure to read it fully and look for disclaimers that may be included indicating that you are approving advertising fees. 
• If a solicitation occurs over the internet or via email and the company is not one you recognize, make sure not to click on any of the links, confirmation buttons, or renewal buttons. By doing so you may be agreeing to receive or subscribe to an undesired service or listing, or could unleash a virus or spyware onto your computer.
• When trying to identify the solicitor, make sure to verify that the address that they are claiming to be from is brick and mortar- a "suite" can easily be a PO Box or a mail forwarding company, which means that the company's representatives are concealing their true location and will not be found at the address that is advertised. 

If your company falls victim to a yellow pages scam or winds up receiving an invoice for a service or product that was not authorized, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov and the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org. 

Beware of Business Directory Scams

The smooth-talking voice on the other end of the line claims to need some information to “confirm” your existing phone book listing. Fast forward a few weeks and your mailbox is jammed with “invoices” threatening legal action if you don’t pay up. Chances are you’ve been hit by a business directory scam.

How the Scam Works:

The Call. First, con artists make cold calls to offices. They ask the person answering the phone to “confirm” the address, telephone number, and other information, claiming it’s for a listing the company has in the yellow pages or a similar business directory. The scam works because fraudsters convince the person who picks up the phone that they’re just “verifying” an arrangement the company already has with the directory.

The Bill. The con artist then sends urgent “invoices” for $500 or more — sometimes including a copy of the “directory.” They’re usually worthless and are never distributed or promoted as promised. Often, they’re just websites with listings of various businesses. 

In many cases, the person paying the bills will simply cut a check, not realizing that the company never agreed to pay the hefty fee for the directory. But if businesses resist, the scammers turn up the heat, threatening collection or legal action to get payment. They may use the name of the person who answered the phone or play a “verification tape” as “proof” that the company owes them money.

At this stage, many companies pay up just to stop the hounding. What they don’t know is that they’ll likely get more bogus invoices — either from the same scam artist or from others who have bought their contact information for a new scheme.

How can I protect my business?

• Train your staff to spot this scam. In addition to your regular receptionist, talk to everyone who may pick up the phone.
• Inspect your invoices. Make sure you are paying only legitimate expenses. Don’t pay for products or services you’re not sure you ordered.
• Verify to clarify. Many business directory scam artists are headquartered in Canada, but use post office boxes or mail drops to make it look like they are in the United States. Before paying, check them out for free at bbb.org, and read the BBB’s report on them.
• File a complaint. If a scammer is sending you bogus bills, speak up. Visit bbb.org to complain to the BBB. And let the FTC know by filing a complaint at ftc.gov or calling 877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).