The IT industry continues to develop tools and resources to keep today’s businesses as safe as possible from cyber attacks; however, due to the vast dependency on IT and the internet, there is also an increase in illegal activities and scams that target businesses and individuals to get personal information to sell on the dark web, wipe out bank accounts, or hold invaluable business data ransom, leaving some businesses near-bankrupt paying the ransom. Then there’s the immeasurable factor of downtime during an attack.
Such scams and phishing attacks have adversely affected global businesses and have been a cause of huge financial loss for several individuals as well as organizations. If you’re worried about being attacked by malicious software or find yourself being the target of a scam, contact Technical Action Group for added security solutions.
IT security has become essential for almost every industry. As far as the protection of your business from scammers’ tricks is concerned, antivirus services play a major role in this regard. Let’s have a closer look at how spammers can attack your business data and critical information.
Common Online Frauds to Watch Out For
When it comes to online spams, there exist thousands of such activities. Some of the most common tricks followed by scammers are discussed below.
Business Loan Scams
You might stumble upon a website granting loans to small businesses. It could look very convincing with the presence of a government logo as well. They might ask for “a fee” to give you access to special government grants and funds mimicking government departments and using the Canadian flag on their website.
Closely examine the company website and do not subscribe to any newsletters without checking the authenticity. Seek legitimate and accurate information for your bank about getting small loans for your business if you’re looking for a loan. Do not avail loans through such websites.
Phishing Emails
According to a report published by F-Secure, over one-third of all IT security challenges are due to phishing emails sent to employees of different organizations.
These emails are equally harmful to both the employees and the companies because they can take control over valuable information. For instance, a food manufacturing company can lose the secret to its top-notch recipe. Or the email could phish for your company’s bank account info.
Never click on any link provided in such emails, and don’t provide your credentials, any information regarding your company, or personal information to any other person.
Office Supply Scam
You could receive an email mimicking your office supplier and try to infer that there is a “government” or “legal” order requiring you to change expired products and that you could face a fine for not adhering to the requirements. You could be asked to verify your business details, banking information, address, etc.
You could also be asked to create “a new banking account” for future payments which is a scam. Do not give out any information even if it seems irrelevant such as the number of employees working in the organization. Every key information you provide could lead you further into their trap.
How Can You Protect Your Business?
Train Your Employees
One of your best defences is to train your employees and keep them informed. Cybersecurity education becomes critical in order to save you from such sophisticated scams which pass off as authentic emails. Explain to them how such scams happen and ensure everyone is well aware of such fraudulent practices.
Verify Payments and Invoice
Always check invoices closely and do not pay for expenses that might seem alien or out of place. Have a procedure in place to verify invoices and limit the number of individuals who can authorize payments in the organization.
Be Smart
Scammers have now become sophisticated enough to get fake numbers so do not trust your caller ID. It can appear even more suspicious if the person on the other side pretends to be a government employee. Secure all organizational financial information, passwords, and files. Do not open attachments from unknown sources.
How Technical Action Group Makes Your Business Safer
Do you want to avoid facing all the above-mentioned and other scams? The Technical Action Group will act as your helping hand. We provide you with top-notch managed IT services, cloud computing, network security, antivirus services, data recovery, support for cell phones and MAC, and network installation and upgrades. Contact us today at (416) 489-6312 for advanced IT services and solutions.
