Forewarned is Forearmed
Once again, the Better Business Bureau has warned about fake government compliance notices targeting businesses.
Gee, this sounds familiar.
Scammers oftentimes impersonate government officials to trick victims out of money or personal information. Their objective: confusing small business owners into revealing data by mailing a seemingly authentic letter.
Names like the Department of Records Management aren’t uncommon. Correspondence is sent to the business with a case ID number. Scammers combine personal information collected from data breaches with faux seals and watermarks to make the correspondence seem legitimate.
Reading the BBB release, I was reminded of how excited we got in 2009 when the MarketBuilding Team was selected as the best grocery store in San Diego by the US Commerce Association.
To help us maximize this honor, the association would send an award for my desk, a wall plaque and a press release suitable for local media outlets…all for a mere $200.
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ANY ENTREPRENEUR!
Now available in paperback and on Kindle!
Only…we’re not in the grocery store business.
Obviously, these guys (whose website provided neither phone number nor address) were full of beans. I’d have gotten little of value, been out a fast coupla hundred bucks and they’d have had my credit card information.
No thanks.
Awards, plaques, dinners and publicity are all great ways to recognize hard work. Leveraged properly, they’ll lead to greater success.
Because an owner’s hard work should be recognized. That’s why small business owners are particularly susceptible to pitches like getting accepted in the Who’s Who of your industry. Then these guys sell you the book with your name in it for “just $200.”
If you’re looking to win an award, focus your efforts on trade associations or Chambers of Commerce. These legitimate groups will provide far greater ROI than a phony plaque, helping build relationships that may actually help grow your business. You’ll also be returning something to communities you consider important.
But whether you enrich your neighborhood or your industry, it’s important to avoid those seeking to pick your pocket.
If you receive a suspicious call or letter, ensure it’s legitimate before taking action. Use the official phone number (not the one on the letter!) to verify if the communications are real.
Look for grammar, spelling and formatting errors in emails and mailings. And report such scams to BBB’s Scam Tracker before tossing it.
With that said, I wish you a week of scam-free marketing.
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Get scam-free advice at www.askmrmarketing.com.
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Phony Corporate Awards