October is Cyber Security Awareness Month 2022 and a great reminder for small business to stay secure online.
Unfortunately, many Queensland businesses fall victim to scams and fraud each year.
You may have heard recent media reports about Queensland real estate agents and home buyers losing deposits to payment redirection scams and small businesses unwittingly handing over their social media account details via a convincing email link.
Business email compromise scams can be impossible to identify and can include invoice scams, company or employee impersonation using what appear to be legitimate email accounts.
Your best defence against scams is to stay up to date with the latest Scamwatch advice and take proactive measures to protect your business against scams. Ensure you:
- create strong passwords and set up two-factor authentication on your accounts
- check websites are secure - look for 'https://' and a closed padlock in the address bar
- independently confirm invoice and payment details using publicly available contact information
- share scams knowledge with your employees and network.
If you think you've been scammed, contact your banking institution as soon as possible and report the scam to Scamwatch.
