An increasing number of people around the world are opting to run their own businesses. The advancements in technology and the internet have only contributed to this rise in entrepreneurship. The truly global accessibility of the internet has made it an invaluable marketing tool that most businesses vie to make use of. However, along with the rise in small businesses, the recent years have also seen a marked rise in small business scams; therefore it’s extremely important to make sure that the business you’re dealing with is a legitimate one. Don’t allow this to dampen your entrepreneurial spirits however; there are several precautions that you can take to make sure that you don’t fall prey to such scams.
If you’re hoping to start a small business in Canada, the following organizations and institutions will help you identify and avoid businesses that may be scams. These organizations will also be able to provide information on reported small business scams in Canada;
Canadian Council of Better Businesses Bureau
The Canadian Better Businesses Bureau will be able to provide information on current scams. Simply “look up” the business that you are hoping to deal with. The Better Businesses Bureau will inform you of fraudulent practices that the company may have engaged in.
The Canadian Better Businesses Bureau website is as follows;
www.ccbbb.ca
Office of the Superintendents of Financial Institutions Canada (OSFI)
The Office of the Superintendent of Financial institutions in Canada publishes warning notices that inform the public of any entities that the OSFI believes may be of concern to the business community. These reports may be accessed via the OSFI website;
www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca
The FACT Campaign; Fraud Awareness for Commercial Targets
This is an organization that provides small business owners with the facts necessary to avoid becoming victims of fraudulent practices.
For more information visit;
www.competitionbureau.gc.ca
The Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada provides information that will help business owners confirm the authenticity of bank notes.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
The royal Canadian Mounted Police website provides information on fraudulent practices such as investment fraud, identity fraud, online auction fraud, advance fee fraud and more. The website is as follows;
www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Reporting Economic Crime Online (RECOL.ca)
RECOL is an online resource that provides support for the prevention, awareness and education of economic crime. This website is also credited with being able to provide “real time” data that pertains to current fraud trends.
For more information visit;
www.recol.ca
PhoneBusters
This is a Canadian agency that collects information related to identity theft complaints, telemarketing and advanced fee fraud letters.
For more information visit;
www.phonebusters.com
If you’ve managed to identify yourself as a victim of fraud or if you’ve identified a fraudulent business; contact the local RCMP detachment or police service jurisdiction in your area.
|
