Business Identity Fraud

There are many ways in which stolen personal identity can be used to carry out business frauds, and this can range from masquerading as a legitimate business in order to access the sensitive financial information of others (such as credit card numbers or online account log ins), or using fake or stolen official identities (water board, electricity company etc) in order to gain access to properties with the intent to steal valuables.

The local state Attorney General’s Office deals with complaints against businesses, including general unfair practices and identity fraud, and also the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.com) carry lists of businesses that offer legitimate services, and if you are suspicious about a business’s credentials you can check with them first.  If you have been the victim of a business fraud scam you can also report this to your local police authority or FBI branch.

Spotting business identity fraud scams
There are various types of business identity fraud to watch out for, and many of these can be avoided by using a bit of common sense.  If an offer seems almost to good to be true then it usually is, no matter how official looking the paperwork is or how convincing and sincere the salesperson.  Be very wary of any unsolicited ‘amazing special offers’ via the telephone, post or email, especially if the business does not have a registered address or landline telephone number that you contact them on, and you should never supply your personal and sensitive information such as your credit card number or bank account details unless you are absolutely sure the business is genuine, and also that they will not pass this information on to any third parties.  Junk mail is a key way in which fraudsters reach their targets, so any offers that come through the mail should be treated very carefully, and those that seem to offer ‘unbelievable’ deals on either products, services or loans should be put straight in the bin, as these are the ones most likely to false.