Running a small business comes with a slew of tasks and responsibilities. Don’t let hackers gain access to your precious data, and train your employees to be watchful.
With the wave of technology comes the ability to reach an audience like never before. Small businesses everywhere are finding their competitors no longer out of reach. Although it’s true tech has brought a whole new wave of marketing that has changed the game, it doesn’t mean businesses can drop their guard on how they handle the data that comes to them.
Unfortunately, marketing isn’t the only thing that has changed with social media, tech, and smartphones. Businesses are finding themselves in trouble if they don’t have a good system to protect information. With the rise of innovative tech also comes the rise of scams, and your business should be aware of how to stay clear of them.
Here are a few of the most common scams your business should be aware of.
Phishing Emails
One of the most common tactics scammers employ is phishing. This can be part of a mass email sent to your employees asking to verify information or for some sort of action that often requires the employee to click a link. You may think this isn’t a concern for your business, but it’s a little trickier than you may imagine, especially if you don’t have your company data protected with hybrid cloud access.
The worst phishing emails have the canny ability to look like client or customer requests, so your employee may not realize that they are about to compromise company data by simply clicking and verifying a link. It only takes one employee to mistakenly make this lapse in judgment, causing customer and worker information to be accessed and stolen.
One of the best ways to guard against this is to have training for your employees, letting them understand the danger and what to look for when it comes to a phishing email.
Invoices Requesting Payment
Not all invoices are the same, and it should come as no surprise that scammers have no remorse for sending a fake invoice, hoping a company will pay funds that aren’t warranted. Always have your staff verify an invoice before issuing payment.
One of the oldest tricks in the book is for a scammer to call pretending to be with a tech department regarding your office equipment. They may ask for the model number or more information just so they can issue a fake invoice requesting payment for parts that were not ordered or delivered.
Always make your staff aware of potential scams, and if they aren’t sure they should be giving information over the phone, have them verify with their supervisor.
Password Verification
Never have your staff use the same password continuously. It makes it a lot harder for hackers to get into your company data if you have a procedure in place that requires employees to change their passwords routinely. Take time to make sure the information your company gains is properly protected and secure. That doesn’t mean just passwords but also storing the data where it can’t easily be accessed by those who shouldn’t have it.
Insurance Fraud
It’s not just your data that can get stolen. Insurance fraud is becoming more and more common as people see an opening with smaller companies that may not have the resources for a hefty lawsuit.
Take time to put a small security system around your place of business. If someone is stating they were hurt on the property, check your cameras and verify the facts. Most importantly, make sure your company has the right insurance coverage in case you are put in this position.
Running a small business comes with a slew of tasks and responsibilities. Don’t let hackers gain access to your precious data, and train your employees to be watchful.
