Let’s talk about something we all dread: scams. They’re everywhere, and it seems like scammers are getting bolder by the day. 

Did you know that in 2023, people lost a whopping $10 billion to scams? That’s $1 billion more than in 2022! Even though the number of reports (2.6 million) stayed about the same, losses reached an all-time high.

And here’s the kicker: email was the top method scammers used, often pretending to be a trusted business or government agency.

Running a business is tough enough without having to worry about falling for scams. In this post, we’re going to chat about some recent scams, share stories from our clients, and give you some practical tips to protect your business.

Plus, we’ll introduce you to the training program we use and explain how our Local SEO package can help keep those pesky scammers at bay.

Scams in the News

Let’s dive into some specific scams that have made headlines recently:

1. Ransomware Attack on Meat Packer: Beef manufacturer JBS USA Holdings Inc. paid an $11 million ransom in bitcoin to malicious actors after an attack forced it to shut down operations. IT staffers initially noticed problems with some of the company’s servers, and shortly after, the company received a message demanding a ransom. Operations were restored within days but not before JBS made the hefty payment.
2. Phishing Scam Targeting a Midwestern School: A California couple defrauded a Midwestern school district and went on a spending spree with the $2.8 million in stolen funds. It all started when they gained access to an email account of the school district’s benefits manager. 
3. Snapchat’s Business Email Compromise (BEC): Snapchat’s CEO Evan Spiegel was impersonated in a BEC phishing scam, resulting in a data breach of its payroll information. A hacker posing as Spiegel duped employees, then exposed that data to the outside world. Many employees had their identity compromised.
4. Google Maps Pin Scam: Since users can suggest edits to your Google Business Profile listings, scammers are moving map pins to a new location. This is causing all sorts of headaches and tanking rankings for businesses. Worse, many users who are trying to reposition their pins are seeing their Google Business Profile suspended.
5. CDK Global Cyberattack Outage: Thousands of automotive dealerships were affected when the software firm CDK Global was hit with a cyberattack in June 2024. (Their software is used to manage everything from scheduling to sales and orders.) The company reportedly paid the ransom to the tune of roughly $25 million.
6. Crowdstrike Support Scams: Though the security firm’s outage was caused by a bug, not a cyberattack, scammers immediately started trying to trick people with “support” for the outage, trying to get victims to send them money, give them target account credentials, or let them compromise their devices with malware.

These stories are a wake-up call. It’s crucial to stay informed and be prepared.

Real Stories from Our Clients

We’ve had a few clients come to us after getting scammed. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also a reminder of why this is so important. 

For instance, recently, we had a client receive an email from Google Business Profile asking to give ownership access to a media company. Luckily, our client reached out to us to see if it was a legitimate request before granting access.

These scams don’t just cost money — they can damage your reputation and trust with customers. We helped these clients tighten their security and put safeguards in place to prevent future scams.

Protecting Your Business

So, what can you do to protect your business? Here are a few tips:

• Be Alert: Pay attention to the sender’s email address, look for anything that looks suspicious in the email, and think twice before completing the action the scammer is asking you to take.
• Use Multi-Factor Authentication for Everything: This adds an extra layer of security and makes it harder for scammers to access your accounts.
• Stay Informed: Knowledge is power! Stay up-to-date on common scam tactics and share this information with your team.

Preparation and Prevention: the Keys to Stopping Scams

The Importance of KnowBe4 Training

Our entire team has completed KnowBe4 training, and it’s been a game changer.

This training mixes AI with a fun and interactive content library, giving us security awareness lessons and phishing tests that keep us on our toes about online threats. It helps us figure out where our company’s security stands, teaches everyone to spot scams, and even tests us with fake phishing attempts.

The result? A more confident team in handling suspicious situations. This training has helped us avoid scams and is truly invaluable.

Managing Business Listings with Our Local SEO Package

Scammers love to mess with your online listings. One wrong move and your business info is hijacked. Our Local SEO package helps you manage your business listings, so you don’t have to worry about scammers messing with you.

Having us on your side means your listings stay accurate and secure. Peace of mind, anyone? 

Beyond setting up and maintaining your online directory listings everywhere on the web, with this package (that starts at just $205 per month), you’ll:

• Build trust among potential customers and get more reviews from current customers.
• Get more phone calls, more direction requests, and more traffic to your website.
• Achieve higher rankings on search engines and boost your business’s local presence.
• Avoid spam reviews and reply quickly to poor reviews with our monitoring.

Get Found & Get More Calls with Local SEO

Team Up With An Ally You Can Trust

Even the most cautious people can fall for tricky scams, but staying vigilant and proactive can make a huge difference. Don’t let scammers get the best of you.

Want to know more about how we can help protect your business? Get in touch with us today!

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