Business
release date: May 18, 2024by samantha leein Small business news0
In today’s environment, small business owners must remain vigilant about fraud. One of his most persistent scams is the Yellow Pages invoice scam, which tricks businesses into paying for non-existent advertising space that fraudulently imitates the official Yellow Pages.
In a recent incident, a clinic in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania received fraudulent invoices from a “yellow directory page.” Not to be confused with the real Yellow Pages.
WGAL-TV report The fake invoices asked for $498.89 for one year of listing and $789.71 for two years, misleadingly presented as a bargain.
Invoice fraud typically begins with a phone call from someone claiming to update your business’ Yellow Pages listing. Following this contact, fraudulent invoices designed to appear authentic are delivered to force businesses to make improper payments.
Small business owners can protect themselves from Yellow Pages invoice scams by being aware. Here are some other tips to avoid scams:
- Request for evidence: Before committing to a directory listing, request a copy of a previous directory edition to verify the legitimacy of your organization.
- Inquiries regarding distribution contents: Be clear about distribution methods, publishing frequency, and how long the directory will last. Check your distribution coverage and whether all local phone customers are truly being reached.
- Assess the need for listing: Evaluate the actual need for traditional Yellow Pages listings as we move towards digital information access.
- Educate your employees: Inform all staff about scams and make sure they know the details of your business and how to respond to unsolicited requests for payment.
- Report abuse: If you come across any suspicious requests, please report them to the authorities immediately to prevent further occurrences of such scams.
Adopting these measures will help small business owners reduce the risks associated with fraud. It also helps maintain the integrity of business operations in both digital and traditional advertising realms.
Image: Enbat
samantha lee I’m a staff writer for Small Business Trends and have been a member of the team for three years. She is also a freelance writer and journalist, contributing to various web publications from her home office in the heart of the Ozarks.
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