Security Center

Every year, thousands of small-business owners lose money, property and sensitive information to breaches in security and fraud protection. The articles in this section explore all aspects of these crimes, as well as offer practical, effective suggestions for avoiding potential catastrophe.

Fraud Alerts

• Foreign Actors and Cybercriminals Likely to Spread Disinformation Regarding 2020 Election Results
• FBI Sees Rise In Online Shopping Scams
• Implementation of Fraudulent COVID-19 Shipping and Insurance Fees by Criminal Actors
• Increased Use of Mobile Banking Apps Could Lead to Exploitation
• People's Republic of China (PRC) Targeting of COVID-19 Research Organizations
• Online Extortion Scams Increasing During The Covid-19 Crisis
• Cyber Actors Take Advantage of COVID-19 Pandemic to Exploit Increased Use of Virtual Environments
• Human Traffickers Continue to Use Popular Online Platforms to Recruit Victims
• Cyber Criminals Use Fake Job Listings To Target Applicants’ Personally Identifiable Information
• Child Predators Use Online Gaming to Contact Children

Preventing Internal and External Fraud

• Perform Effective Background Checks Before Hiring - Screening candidates can strengthen the safety and security of your company. Use this simple process to perform solid background checks.
• Protect Your Company and Customers Against Employee Fraud - Implement these safeguards to protect you and your business from dishonest employees, clients or customers.
• ACH Fraud Protection - Electronic funds transfers are fast and easy but can be a source of fraudulent activity. Keep accounts safe by preventing ACH fraud.
• Performing Internal Audits - Learn how to identify fraudulent activity by making simple, periodic checks of key processes, accounts and assets.
• Build Safe Vendor Relationships - Building strong relationships with your vendors may prevent falling victim to vendor - and employee - fraud.
• Training Employees to Prevent Fraud - Your employees are your best line of defense against internal and external fraud; learn how to train them to safeguard your company.
• Safe Use of Credit Cards - We've all heard about credit card threats that individuals can face, and the same holds true for your company card. We have some ideas on how to safeguard your business.
• Microchip Payment Cards Still Vulnerable to Exploitation - Use precautions in transactions with traditional magnetic strip as well as microchip payment cards to protect your personal and financial information.
• Protecting Your Business Debit Card - Debit cards lack the liability protections of consumer debit cards.
• Small Business Cyber Insurance - An overview of the coverage and how it can help small businesses.
• Preventing Workers' Compensation Fraud - Tips on lowering the risk and preventing workers' compensation fraud.
• Fighting Payroll Fraud - Consider using mobile time-tracking app to fight payroll fraud.
• Using Positive Pay to Prevent Check Fraud - Learn how Positive Pay can help you in preventing this crime.

Workplace Violence

• Office and Workplace Security -- An Overview - Learn the basics of keeping your offices and workplace safe and secure for employees, clients and customers.

Identity Protection

• Protecting Customer and Employee Information (Protect Against Identity Theft) - Learn about simple ways to safeguard sensitive information and protect your customers from identity theft.
• Business Owners and Identity Theft - There's been a dramatic increase in identity theft. What you may not know is that as a small business owner, you are more likely than most to become a target. How can you protect yourself and your small business? We have some thoughts for you.
• Protect Your Mail - Your business mail contains information that, if stolen, could adversely affect your company or your customers. There are a wide range of proactive steps your business can take to lower the risk of that happening to you.
• Opt Out Of Personal Offers - How many times have you received a credit card offer in the mail that you are not interested in at all? Perhaps you just toss the letter into the garbage. Well, there are people who go dumpster diving to find those letters and can turn your trash into their stolen treasure. How can you stop this from happening? Here are some ideas.
• Business Identity Theft - We've all heard about personal identity theft and how it is rising dramatically. Have you ever heard of business identity theft? Well, it's happening more and more but there are steps you, as a small business owner, can take to battle it from ever happening to your firm.
• Guarding Against Small Business Tax Identity Theft - Protect your tax identification number so thieves aren't able to use it to file a tax return.

Technology and Internet Safety

• Protecting Your Passwords - Creating strong passwords is the first step in protecting against identity theft. Here are specific tips for creating passwords to protect your business and personal information.
• Security for Mobile and Other Handheld Devices - In this digital and mobile age, we now see small businesses making enormously increased use of cell phones and other devices to handle everyday business. These devices are a great tool, but, like all tools, they need to be protected. Here are some thoughts on steps you can take.
• Protecting Your Computer - Diligently following these simple steps to safeguard your computer will minimize your risk of becoming a victim of computer hacking.
• Protecting Yourself Online - Connecting online with friends, family and businesses provides enjoyment and opportunities. Following this advice will keep hackers and thieves from ruining your online experience.
• Understanding Phishing - Avoiding phishing attacks requires being alert to the signs of fraudulent requests. Do not respond to any request for personal and financial information without verifying the legitimacy of the source.
• Protecting Yourself from Ransomware - Ransomware infections can encrypt your files and data with simple keystrokes. Keep software updated and regularly back up your data to mitigate the effects of malicious programs on your computer.
• Protecting Against Investment Scams on the Internet - Protect yourself and your business from phony investment scam.
• Recovering from a Security Breach - If your company suffers a cyber-attack, having a response plan can be critical in ensuring your business survives.
• Protecting Your Small Business Website - Protecting your site against malware and identify theft attacks.