There are a number of techniques that thieves use to defraud companies. Understanding how these schemes are used to manipulate people can help you protect your business from fraudulent transactions.
1. Spot Fraudsters. The first step of any successful scam is for the scammer to make you believe that they are someone else. The key to spotting imposters is to refrain from responding to unexpected requests. These can come in all forms and will usually be very convincing.
2. Do online searches. Before you engage with a company, do a little research online. Type in the company name and then type in complaint or scam next to it. See what comes up. You can also do a reverse search on phone numbers to see whether or not they have been reported as scams by others.
3. Don't trust caller ID. Unfortunately, caller ID has become something that can no longer be trusted. This is because it is very easy for scammers to manipulate the information you see on the screen. If you receive a call that seems legitimate, refer back to tip number one and don't give out any information or make any payments to unexpected requests.
1. Spot Fraudsters. The first step of any successful scam is for the scammer to make you believe that they are someone else. The key to spotting imposters is to refrain from responding to unexpected requests. These can come in all forms and will usually be very convincing.
2. Do online searches. Before you engage with a company, do a little research online. Type in the company name and then type in complaint or scam next to it. See what comes up. You can also do a reverse search on phone numbers to see whether or not they have been reported as scams by others.
3. Don't trust caller ID. Unfortunately, caller ID has become something that can no longer be trusted. This is because it is very easy for scammers to manipulate the information you see on the screen. If you receive a call that seems legitimate, refer back to tip number one and don't give out any information or make any payments to unexpected requests.
4. Don't pay upfront for a promise. Under no circumstances should you make a payment for anything in advance of services being provided. There is a high likelihood that whomever is the beneficiary of such proceeds will disappear, leaving you to hold the bag.
5. Consider how you pay. There are some forms of payment that can provide additional protection to you in the event that find yourself the victim of fraud and there are some that do not. Paying via bank wire, cash and even reloadable money cards means that the money will not be able to be recovered in the event the transaction is fraudulent while paying with credit cards provides some level of protection.
6. Hang up on robocalls. Answering the phone and finding out you are talking to a computer is not just annoying. It can be dangerous. Robocalls are illegal and in most cases are only used by scammers. If you get one, hang up and contact the FTC.
7. Don't deposit a check and wire money back. Banks are required to make funds available from a deposited check within days of the deposit. However, uncovering a fake check can take weeks or longer. And, if the check you deposit winds up being a phony, you are left holding the bag and covering the loss.
8. Sign up for free scam alerts: You can take preventative measures and protect your business from fraud by signing up for FTC scam alerts here: ftc.gov/scams
These are just some of the things you can do to protect your business from fraud. Why is this important? Companies fall victim to fraud every single day and the results of such activity can be devastating. You can read about specific examples of fraud perpetrated by Carmen De Souza here: http://carmendesouza.com and here: http://carmendesouza.pt.
Carmen De Souza is a p-erpetrator of fraud. You can read about the fraud committed by Carmen De Souza against MX Properties here.
