Since the Internet became an integral part of daily lives, scammers have attempted to use all sorts of networks to steal from unsuspecting victims. There aren’t any members of Royal families in need of assistance or foreign lottery winnings waiting for us to claim them. That doesn’t mean that hackers aren’t coming up with new ways to part us your business, employees, or customers from their hard-earned cash, though. 

Savvy business owners understand that digital scams today are simply variations of old tricks. You may see slightly new approaches leveraging technological advances, but your response should be proactivity and awareness.

What’s the best way business owners can avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime? Learn about common online scams – and trust your instincts whenever something feels off!

Watch Out for These Online Tricks at Your Place of Business and Home

Are you good at spotting phishing attacks and online scams by now? Are you sure? Hackers are exceptionally creative, especially since they're using AI to: 

• Launch their attacks
• Create convincing messages
• Divvy up landing pages that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing

Businesses must stay alert to avoid clicking links, but a modern digital scam goes well beyond your email inbox, so pay attention.

Spoofing Messages 

Hackers use spoofing techniques to make phone calls that look like they’re coming from a legitimate business, like your bank or a delivery service. They then trick people into giving up sensitive information, like passwords. 

Remember, no bank or service provider will ever ask for this information over the phone. Ignore the call or hang up.

Text Scams 

Text scams are phishing: a text demanding payment with a convenient link. Sometimes, text scams appear from a government agency, like the IRS. However, the government will never send a text to demand payment. 

If you aren’t expecting the call, double-check with your actual service provider before giving up any information. 

Push Payment Scams 

These online scams pose as banks or payment platforms requesting that you transfer your money into a new account due to a problem with your current one. They might even suggest that you call your bank to confirm so they can use their technology to listen in and steal your information.

If you get one of these calls, hang up. Wait several minutes before calling your bank to ensure those scammers have disconnected. Even better, use another phone or visit your bank in person. 

Sim-Swap Fraud

Hackers use e-SIM cards on cell phones to perpetrate identity theft. How? These fraudsters use publicly available data to build your profile, and when they have enough information, call your mobile phone provider to ask for a SIM swap. 

Once your e-SIM information is on their device, they can access your private accounts and steal your identity and money. So, you can see how falling for digital scams can ruin a life. As a business owner, you’ll want to be cautious, question everything, and proactively protect your money.



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