Support local businesses during Small Business Week
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News from the Better Business Bureau
In honor of National Small Business Week, April 30 - May 6, the Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest encourages consumers to support local businesses.
Small businesses may seem small, but they have an enormous impact in local communities as well as the U.S. economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, creating two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year.
Of the 28.8 million small businesses in the U.S., an estimated 750,000 small businesses are in the Northwest region. With 115,054 small businesses in Montana, this makes up 97.4 percent of Montana businesses. These small businesses have created 235,935 jobs.
As an advocate for small businesses, BBB helps business owners stay informed on the latest scams and industry news.
Here are some of the top scams targeting small businesses according to AARP:
Phishing emails. Scammers pose as top executives and email instructions to employees to pay a vendor or bill. The money sent is wired to a scammer-run account.
Deactivating webpages. Businesses are falsely told through emails or letters that their website address, Facebook account or other online presence is about to be “deactivated.” This is a way for scammers to phish for log-in credentials, distribute malware or obtain cash with fake renewal schemes.
BBB imposters. Business owners and employees are advised to be aware of fake BBB emails with attachments. The emails look very much like a notice of a complaint from BBB, but may contain links to malware that can infect your computer, steal passwords, etc.
Directory/Yellow Pages scam. Businesses should be wary of providing basic information over the phone such as the business’ address, phone number and email. Businesses who provide this information to scammers that pose as Yellow Pages or another business directory are often billed hundreds of dollars for allegedly buying an ad or providing listing services.
Make sure to like BBB Northwest’s Facebook page to check out Facebook Lives with accredited businesses and get updates on small business tips.
(For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. BBB Northwest serves more than 14 million consumers in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Western Wyoming.)
