Small Businesses and Online Scams: Facts and Figures

Do you really need to worry about fraud or online scams if you have a business? Is it really something that’s likely to catch you out, or is it something that happens to other people who just aren’t as on the ball as you?
You might be surprised...
Although statistically you’re more likely to be a victim of vandalism or criminal damage if you run a small business, the effects of fraud and different types of online crime can be far more far reaching, and wreak havoc on the everyday running of your business.A recent survey by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) revealed that more than 50 per cent of businesses have been caught out by fraud or online crime.
How Fraud and Online Scams can Affect a Business
The FSB survey studied the impact of these types of scams as well as the figures - which showed that the number of crimes against businesses is increasing. Shockingly, around to 64 per cent of businesses were affected by fraud in 2009, up from 57% per cent in a 2006 survey.The businesses which had been affected by scams and fraud were asked to give more information about what had happened and the types of crime that they had fallen victim to. It seems that the message is getting through about the ‘Phishing’ type scams, as most people are experienced enough to recognised a scam e-mail and wouldn’t be tempted to divulge any personal details when prompted to by one of these irritating e-mails.
Unfortunately though, other types of fraud are proliferating and businesses can find themselves dealing with anything from bounced cheques, forged cash, and fake invoices, as well as online banking fraud, unauthorised direct debits, eBay and PayPal scams.
On top of this, the old style scams are still in operation - the charity calendars and books, and advertising in publications that don’t exist. Some businesses also admitted falling prey to the boiler room scam.
The Main Scams Affecting Businesses
A big issue with business scams is the theft of domain names, which can be bought and used fraudulently, and the use of legitimate business e-mail addresses for criminal and fraudulent spam e-mails.Other problems include:
- fraudulent changes of business addresses and names of company directors at Companies House;
- competitors using another business’s name as a search engine tag and directing potential customers elsewhere;
- Trojan viruses being used to steal a business’s IP identity and using it to commit crime;
- scammers impersonating legitimate companies, and then opening an eBay account selling items that don’t exist. The e-mail address is false and the legitimate company then gets the bill.
Re: Builder's Scams
Don’t fall foul of Arren Safavi from Lancashire decking. He looks and acts all professional however once the deposit is paid that’s him doing a…
Re: Sky TV Scam
I just received a call from someone saying from Sky not sure if it was genuine. Asked me for my address. Then my bank details, then my password for my…
Re: Scams And Seniors
Scammed out of £12500 by a builder who has been to court several times. I paid by my debit card, have I any chance of getting compensation. I am…
Re: Builder's Scams
We have been scammed by James Hookey & Libby Hookey... advertised for a roofer on fb, Libby contacted me to say James can help... he came quoted,…
Re: Sky TV Scam
I received a call from ‘Sky’ this week saying I had overpaid and was due a refund. This seemed fairly plausible as the day before I had telephoned Sky…
Re: Builder's Scams
Don't use Martin Jacques from swift cavity clear or swift building services based in Manchester.He did a awful job of my garden and charged thousands.
Re: Bank Identification or BIN numbers Scam
Okay I just don’t want to euryeurueiieoeoe you talking about to sleep or sleep no sleep sleep no cap on sleep and…
Re: Builder's Scams
I have been scammed by a man called James hookey, and his wife Libby hookey, from face book, asking for recommendation, for patio, The wife sends a…
Re: Vishing Scam
Had a text message this morning form a mobile number saying that I’ve missed a delivery and that I needed to pay 1.50 to R.M. Lucky enough my iPhone…
Re: Builder's Scams
DNF Builder and Plastering, based in North East (Newcastle/Gateshead/South Shields/Sunderland), run by David (Mancunian) and Ian. ***Do not…