NCL Warns Small Businesses to Watch Out For Scams

NCL’s National Fraud Information Center and the Yellow Pages Publishers Association say the best defense is to identify what scams are out there before you've been had.

WASHINGTON, DC— The National Consumers League warns businesses that individuals aren’t the only victims of fraud. In fact, some con artists target businesses, scamming them by selling advertising materials that are never produced, sending bogus invoices for yellow pages listings or other services that were never ordered, offering Internet services that don’t pan out as promised, and using other fraudulent tactics to get their money.

On Wednesday, May 31, 2000, the National Consumers League will issue a video news release with advice on how businesses can defend themselves against scams. The video news release includes interviews with Susan Grant, director of the National Fraud Information Center; a pastor whose parish was conned out of money; U.S. Postal Inspector Robert Bethel who tracks down mail fraud perpetrators and Ed Blackman, executive vice president of the Yellow Pages Publishers Association.

The release is a part of an education campaign that was launched last year on NCL’s popular www.fraud.org Web site. The Scams Against Businesses section of the site www.fraud.org/scamsagainstbusinesses provides information about how to recognize the different types of fraud and advice about what to do if a business is victimized.

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America's pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to identify, protect, represent, and advance the economic and social interests of consumers and workers. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to representing consumers on issues of concern.

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