BBB Warns About 3 Scams Targeting Businesses

Scammers like businesses because most of the time everyone is too busy to notice that the invoice sitting on the desk is not from the company’s website domain registrar but a look-alike or that their company’s name and/or phone number is being used on phony letters, checks or phone calls.

The best way to not let scammers get their way is by knowing the red flags indicating a scam is afoot.

Here are three scams that have come to the attention of your Better Business Bureau in recent months:

BBB Rating Verification. An email from a fake BBB address (BBBupdate@post.com) in Atlanta, Ga., falsely requests verification and validation of BBB Ratings. 

The email message reads, “Our data shows a pending rating or review about you or your business. Derogatory/Negative reviews or ratings can impact your business profile and become permanently visible to customers, clients, vendors, and agencies. CONTACT OUR NOTIFICATION DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY FOR VERIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF THIS ALERT.”

The BBB does not conduct a verification request nor do we issue emails in response to a pending rating or review about you or your business. Should you receive such an email, please disregard its message, and report any information received to BBB’s Scam Portal. CBBB’s Legal Department is working to find out who is behind this and will take all appropriate action to protect its trademark.

Caller ID Spoofing. Technology readily available for sale over the Internet allows callers to fool caller ID with a bogus name and number. The practice is known as identity spoofing. A regional mortgage company reported that scammers were using its business name and phone number to cold call consumers nationwide.

If someone is going to steal your caller ID, they likely are not going to comply with state or federal “do-not-call” lists, prerecorded call laws or even anti-fraud laws.

If you have reason to believe your phone number has been “spoofed” by a third party, report it immediately to your telephone carrier’s fraud division and create a record of it.

And if you have reason to believe incoming calls are being spoofed, don’t provide personal or financial information. Instead, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website.

In both instances, let the FCC know about ID spoofers by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC or filing a complaint at fcc.gov/complaints.

Domain Registration. Scammers data-mine whois databases to find domains that will soon be up for renewal and then send official-looking invoices to the domain's billing contact. Scammers are hoping you won't notice that the invoice isn't from your actual domain registrar and will pay it as you do all other bills.

If you read the fine print, however, you’ll see that you're agreeing to transfer the domain from your legitimate registrar to the fraudster. So not only are you out of pocket, but you may have also contractually locked yourself into paying that registrar for future renewals.

This fraud works best at businesses where individuals are too busy to check the details of every invoice that passes their desks.

Start With Trust. For reliable consumer tips and information, visit wynco.bbb.org or call 970-484-1348 or 800-564-0371.