Brian Thomas

Brian Thomas

Based in Cincinnati, OH, the Brian Thomas Morning Show covers news and politics, both local and national, from a libertarian point of view.Full Bio

 

BBB - February Scams

BBB and the IRS to host live webinar

On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at 1 PM Eastern, the IRS and BBB is hosting a live webinar discussing scams and tax-related identity theft for individuals and businesses. 

This live webinar will provide the following:

Tips on identity theft information for businesses

Tips on common tax-related identity theft scams

Identifying the signs of tax-related identity theft

How to report tax-related Identity Theft

Learn more about the IRS Identity Protection Personal Identification Number Program

Hear about resources to protect against from tax-related identity theft

Learn about IRS’ partnership with the Security Summit

Participate in a live Q & A

Register online for this live webinar by going to BBB.org

BBB Scam Alert: New Facebook phishing scam scares page owners into sharing their password

The latest social media scam is yet another phishing scheme designed to scare Facebook users into sharing their login credentials. It arrives as an email that appears to come from Facebook and states: “Recently, we discovered a breach of our Facebook Community Standards on your page. Your page has been disabled for violating Facebook Terms. If you believe the decision is incorrect, you can request a review and file an appeal at the link below.” 

The message may also state that if the user does not act in the next 24 hours, Facebook will delete your account permanently. A link is included that appears to lead to Facebook.com. Instead of clicking on the link, look for typos in the message, email sender addresses that aren’t related to Facebook, and, hover over the link in the email (without clicking on it), to see where it really goes.

How to avoid Facebook phishing scams

Don’t panic. Always read suspicious emails carefully, looking for signs of a scam, before you act. Remember that scammers love to target social media accounts, so fake alerts aren’t uncommon.

Verify the claims. Log into your Facebook account directly to verify there is a problem before deciding how to proceed.

Always log into your account directly. Even if you think an alert is authentic, use your social media app to log in or enter the URL in the browser bar by typing it, not by clicking on a link sent to you.

Guard your login credentials carefully. Never enter your login information on a third-party website or a page other than the official Facebook website. Never send your login information to someone via email or Facebook Messenger. If you entered your login credentials into a fake form, change your password immediately.

Find more information on BBB.org/consumerHQ and BBB.org/scamtracker

Business Segment

Key strategies for getting or staying ahead of your competition

As a small business owner in 2023, there is more competition than ever before. With approximately 32.5 million small businesses now operating in the United States iit can be challenging to stand out and attract new customers. 

BBB offers five strategies for gaining a competitive edge:

1. Conduct regular competitor research

Conduct regular competitor and market research to see what trends are evolving based on changes in the market. The best way to get ahead of the competition is to figure out what they’re doing and how to capitalize on those trends.  

2. Get focused

Business owners try to be everything to everyone, contributing to approximately 20% of all small businesses failing within a year of opening their doors. Instead, prioritize and focus on certain goals. This doesn’t mean ignoring opportunities to grow the business, but it does mean identifying key priorities and setting aside time to focus on them. This will help you strengthen the brand and build a loyal following.

3. Don’t be afraid of collaboration

Collaborating with other small businesses in the area and with other industry experts will allow owners leverage each other’s strengths and expand reach. In turn, it builds a strong network.

4. Act on customer feedback

Listening to customers will help identify areas for growth and opportunities to improve the business. The best small businesses are the ones that listen to their customers and evolve their offerings to meet their needs, which includes listening to their concerns and feedback.

5. Create a multi channel experience that outshines competitors. This means creating a seamless customer experience across all channels, from social media to the website and in person. This will help build a loyal following.

Find additional tips on BBB.org/BizHQ for more information.


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