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How to help protect your business from fraud

 

Together, we can help keep your business secure.

 

 

Scam alert: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Voice Cloning

What's happening?

 

Using new AI technology, scammers are cloning the voices of vendors and other businesses in an attempt to commit fraud. They call on the phone and in a convincing, AI-generated voice, ask you to make rush payments on everyday expenses like utilities or taxes.

Ways to help prevent it:

  • Don't trust a familiar voice alone, especially if they're asking for money
  • Don't rely on caller ID alone-- it can also be faked
  • If you have doubts or if you want to be safe, tell them you'll call them back
  • If you suspect fraud, report it

Scam alert: Check fraud

What's happening?

 

One of the most common scams is called check washing. On a small scale, check washing refers to people stealing checks from individual mailboxes, erasing the ink and writing in a higher value to a different recipient. On a larger scale, washed checks can be duplicated and illicitly sold.

Ways to help prevent it:

  • Take outgoing mail directly to the post office for secure delivery
  • Don’t let delivered mail sit in your mailbox­
  • Write checks using permanent ink
  • Consider using a Chase QuickDeposit℠ Scanner to securely scan multiple checks at once into your account

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Merchandise scams

 

Scammers pretend to be legitimate sellers by creating fake retailer websites or by posting fake ads on familiar sites. You’ll think you’re buying real merchandise or equipment at low prices, but you’ll never receive the items.

 

What you can do:

  • Determine if pricing is in line with what you’d expect — too low may be too good to be true
  • Verify the seller or website, or confirm their store address
  • Never give in to high-pressure sales tactics

 

Investment scams

 

Investment scams claim you’ll make big money with little risk by investing in financial markets or cryptocurrency. They charge hefty fees to learn their “proven” methods, or say they’ll invest your money for you and keep it in their pockets.

 

What you can do:

  • Perform your due diligence — see if the company is licensed or registered
  • Protect your devices and keep antivirus software up to date
  • Get documentation or details in writing about the investment

 

Services fraud

 

 

Fraudulent contractors tell you they need to be paid in full upfront or that materials have to be ordered before they’ll start your job. Once you pay them, they disappear without a trace or do poor-quality work.

 

What you can do:

  • Only hire contractors licensed with the Board of Licensing
  • Make sure contracts include a valid company address and phone number and a detailed work description
  • Get more than one bid and avoid hiring on the spot