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How to avoid scams
IntroductionEven if you think you've taken every precaution to avoid fraud, your business still could be susceptible to scams. There are literally dozens of scams that can target small business owners at any time, and they come from the whole spectrum of sources: e-mail scams, fax offers, phony phone calls and work-at-home offers, not to mention internal threats from staff. Tips to keep your business scam-freeKeep your guard up. Work alongside your employees, even if you think they're trustworthy. Nick Tootle, an audit principal at Kaufman, Rossin & Co., a Florida-based full-service accounting firm, agrees. "Even if you've trusted this bookkeeper who has been doing your work forever, you must realize that he or she is in the best position to steal from you." Give employees a break. Making employees use their vacation time helps you keep a closer eye on finances. A common thread seems to be that employees get caught while out on vacation or sick. Someone else does their job in their absence, and when something looks weird, indiscretions are found. Do your research. "The Internet exposes your information to the world," says Gene Marks of the Bala Cynwyd, Pa.-based Marks Group PC. "But it also helps you investigate scams. If you get an e-mail and you're not sure about the subject matter, a quick search on Google will come up with a blog or forum where the topic is being discussed." Marks also suggests using online business networking sites as a way to prevent scams and internal fraud. Pay attention. "Be a glass-half-full person, but go through some simple due diligence," Marks says. For example, perform simple reference checks. "It seems so obvious, but you'd be surprised how easy it is to overlook the obvious," Marks says. Other resourcesThere are many online resources that can help you steer clear of scams targeting your small business:
See alsoCreator
This page was created on Jul 15, 2008 |
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