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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>From the desk of NFBNJ President Joe Ruffalo.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Received from Linda Mackey, Board Member, NJ Seniors Division.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Greetings to all,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>The following was forwarded by Linda Mackey.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>We have forwarded for your information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#4B4B4B'>6 Big Scams on Small Businesses<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=entry-meta style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#333333'>by <a href="http://blog.aarp.org/author/skirchheimer/" title="Posts by Sid Kirchheimer"><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'>Sid Kirchheimer</span></b></a> | <a href="http://blog.aarp.org/2016/09/02/6-big-scams-on-small-businesses/#livefyre-comments"><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'>Comments: 0</span></b></a> | <a href="http://blog.aarp.org/2016/09/02/6-big-scams-on-small-businesses/print/" title=Print><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://18674-presscdn.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-print/images/print.gif" alt=Print></span></b></a> <a href="http://blog.aarp.org/2016/09/02/6-big-scams-on-small-businesses/print/" title=Print><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'>Print</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=0 style='width:0in;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=0 nowrap valign=bottom style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td width=0 nowrap valign=bottom style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;BOX-SIZING: border-box;ZOOM: 1;border-radius: 0px;background-size: initial;background-origin: initial;background-clip: initial;float:none'></td><td width=0 nowrap valign=bottom style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;BOX-SIZING: border-box;ZOOM: 1;border-radius: 0px;background-size: initial;background-origin: initial;background-clip: initial;float:none'></td><td width=0 nowrap style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;BOX-SIZING: border-box;ZOOM: 1;border-radius: 0px;background-size: initial;background-origin: initial;background-clip: initial;float:none'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=0 style='width:0in;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=0 style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=0 style='width:0in;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=0 style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td width=0 style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;BOX-SIZING: border-box;ZOOM: 1;border-radius: 0px;background-size: initial;background-origin: initial;background-clip: initial;float:none' id=gmail-gigya-share-reaction3-icon><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><img border=0 id="gmail-gigya-share-reaction3-icon_img" src="https://cdns.gigya.com/gs/i/sharebar/icons/share3.png"><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=0 style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;BOX-SIZING: border-box;border-radius: 0px;background-size: initial;background-origin: initial;background-clip: initial;float:none' id=gmail-gigya-share-reaction3-right></td></tr></table></td><td width=0 style='width:.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;BOX-SIZING: border-box;border-radius: 0px;background-size: initial;background-origin: initial;background-clip: initial;float:none'></td></tr></table></td></tr></table><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><a href="http://18674-presscdn.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/iStock_51615230_MEDIUM.jpg"><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=300 height=200 style='width:3.125in;height:2.0833in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="http://18674-presscdn.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/iStock_51615230_MEDIUM-300x200.jpg" alt="Spice merchant standing at counter of her store"></span></b></a>Scammers are increasing their focus on small and midsize businesses. Among the top ploys that burn employers and their labor force:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Phishing emails. </span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Business email compromise (BEC) is a fast-growing scheme in which cybercrooks glean names and titles of executives from LinkedIn or corporate websites to spoof internal messages, usually alleged to come from top executives. In the most common ruse — netting scammers <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/cleveland/news/press-releases/fbi-warns-of-rise-in-schemes-targeting-businesses-and-online-fraud-of-financial-officers-and-individuals" target="_blank"><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'>over $2 billion in recent years, according to the FBI</span></b></a> — they pose as the CEO and email instructions to pay a vendor or bill; the money is wired to a scammer-run account. Employees may also receive bogus emails, allegedly from human resources, instructing them to update their log-in credentials so those accounts can be accessed. So before you act on such “company” emails, authenticate them with an interoffice phone call.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Deactivating deception. </span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>In emails or letters, businesses are falsely told that their website address,<a href="http://www.smartcompany.com.au/marketing/social-media/73959-small-businesses-targeted-by-facebook-scam-lessons-for-your-business/" target="_blank"><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'>Facebook account</span></b></a> or other online presence is about to be “deactivated” — a move to generate quick cash in bogus renewals, to glean log-in credentials or to distribute malware. Also beware of companies that promise you — for a hefty fee — better placement of your business in Google searches; no third-party vendor can guarantee keyword-placement results.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Phony invoices.</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> Businesses receive fake invoices demanding payment for products or services they never ordered or received, often in amounts small enough not to raise suspicions, the Better Business Bureau warns.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Better Business Bureau bamboozlement.</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> In one longtime and sporadically recurring ruse, businesses get emails alleged to be from the Better Business Bureau with a subject line such as “Complaint from your customers.” When worried business owners click the attached links for “more details,” malware is unleashed that provides cybercriminals with remote access to company files. In another scheme, self-described BBB employees call companies to “update” business or personal information so they can obtain details for BEC and other scams — and/or <a href="http://www.bbb.org/detroit/news-events/bbb-in-the-news/2016/04/better-business-bureau-scammers-are-using-our-name/" target="_blank"><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'>threaten to charge fees</span></b></a> for not immediately providing these updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Supply swindles</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>. Sometimes, boxes supposedly packed with office supplies arrive unexpectedly with cash-on-delivery decrees from duping deliverymen. Front-desk employees may assume the delivery is expected by a coworker (fraudsters can get names easily enough), but the boxes may be filled with junk or be empty, according to the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/small-business-scams" target="_blank"><b><span style='color:#336698;text-decoration:none'>Federal Trade Commission</span></b></a>. Other times, companies are phoned in advance to learn what brand of supplies or equipment they use, and in a follow-up call, self-described suppliers offer bargain prices on surplus merchandise that’s paid for in advance but never delivered.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:9.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:17.15pt;background:whitesmoke;BOX-SIZING: border-box'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Directory scams. </span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Claiming to be from the Yellow Pages or an online phone directory, swindlers ask businesses to confirm their address and phone number (or for online directories, request search-term keywords to use on search engines). Assuming they are simply updating an existing listing, employees provide this seemingly innocent information. But then, the company is billed hundreds of dollars for allegedly provided listing services or may be sent “solicitation” paperwork that may be interpreted as a bona fide invoice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Forwarded by:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Freestyle Script"'>Brian A. Mackey<br><br></span></b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Brian A. Mackey<br>Owner, Mackey Enterprises, LLC<br>Treasurer & Webmaster, National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>609-953-6988<br><a href="mailto:Bmackey88@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Bmackey88@gmail.com</span></a><br><a href="http://www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com</span></a><br><br>“Happy are those who dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to make those dreams come true”<br> <i>-Vince Papale<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>