COMMON FRAUDS AGAINST BUSINESS

1 page, posted 11/99

This relativly new scam generally targets small business and depends on the assumption that the first person in each morning is less than ethical and won't mind using business's resources for personal gain.

It also assumes that such employees are of low intelligence and will believe they can make money having fun--and won't mind obtaining details at the expense of their employer.

These faxes will be sitting in the receiving tray of the business fax in the morning and they invite employees to use their employer's fax to learn how to get paid for going shopping, eating out in restaurants, drinking in lounges, going to movies, etc.  Many also invite the employee to get free details on various weight loss diets--again using their employer's fax.

Unethical employees will then follow instructions and fax a 900 number which will very slowly provide basically worthless information at the rate of $2.95 per minute or more.  Typically these calls take several minutes and usually cost the business owner, that is the employer, over $20

The "unsubscribe" numbers offered are usually British or European numbers and although we haven't confirmed this, they, too, may operate in the same costly manner as 900 numbers. 

Although the address of the "business" sending the fax is often shown, such addresses give the appearance of being nothing more than mail drops.

At Loss Prevention Concepts, Ltd. we recommend employees be warned about such frauds and that routine audits of the fax log be conducted as well as questioning any 900 charges shown on telephone bills.