Conmen are always looking out for ways to scam businesses. Whether that’s phishing emails to acquire bank details or more sophisticated attempts to get you to change the payment address on a regular invoice. And the Coronavirus crisis has given these toerags even more ways to test how alert businesses are.
You can have as much physical security as you like – CCTV, intruder alarms, access control. But most scams are successful because one of your employees has been hoodwinked.
The Government has produced an official list of the businesses that are required to close during the crisis.
But Trading Standards officers across the country are warning about Covid-19 scammers who are ‘requiring’ businesses to close and threatening cash fines if they don’t.
Some of these scams come via text messages, others seem to be someone in an official uniform knocking on the doors of commercial premises and ordering them to pay a fine because they have not closed.
Take Five To Stop Fraud
This is a national campaign to help everyone protect themselves from preventable financial fraud.
With many more people working from home, criminals may pretend to be from IT departments to gain access to your personal and financial information. They may even ask you to download software onto your computer. Be wary of cold calls or unsolicitored emails offering you help.
Criminals use “spoofing” to make it look like you’re being contacted by a genuine organisation using the coronavirus as a cover story.
These alarmist scams claim to offer payments related to the virus or to “issue fines”.
Never click a link in an email or text – even if it comes from someone you know or from what looks like an official source. Always check through the official website.
Report spam texts by forwarding them to 7726
