This, this and this again!
Scammers like below will host seminars or workshops that promise to teach business owners how to grow their businesses. However, these seminars are often just a way to sell business owners overpriced products or services. Contrepreneur is such a great word for them too!
I know they are talking about entrepreneurs but the same con tactics also apply in places outside of seminars and workshops- such as the online space targeting business owners. Social media ads promising business owners the world and delivering not even a continent.
Small business owners are a prime target for scammers. They are often busy and pressed for time, and they may be eager to find quick and easy ways to grow their businesses.
One common type of scam is social media advertising. Scammers will create ads that promise business owners things like:
- More leads and sales
- Increased website traffic
- Improved SEO
- A better social media presence
- A free website or other marketing materials
- Free Google ads
However, when business owners sign up for these services, they often find that they are not getting the results that were promised. The scammers may take their money and disappear, or they may deliver substandard services.
Here are some specific scams that have been targeting Australian small business owners in recent years:
- Fake invoicing scams: Scammers send fake invoices to businesses, demanding payment for goods or services that were never ordered.
- Domain name renewal scams: Scammers send emails to businesses, claiming that their domain names are about to expire and that they need to renew them immediately. The scammers then charge the businesses an inflated price for the renewals.
- SEO scams: Scammers promise businesses that they can improve their SEO rankings, but they often use unethical or even illegal methods to do so. This can result in the businesses being penalized Google or other search engines.
- Google Ads scams: Scammers create Google Ads campaigns for businesses, but they often waste the businesses’ money on irrelevant or ineffective keywords.
If you are a small business owner in Australia, it is important to be aware of these scams. Here are some tips to protect yourself:
- Be wary of any offer that seems too good to be true.
- Do your research before signing up for any service or product.
(c)raw marrow
r give out your personal or financial information to someone you don’t trust.- If you are unsure about an offer, contact Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
If you have been the victim of a scam, report it to the ACCC immediately.
