Employee Related Scams

Unfortunately, employee related scams are constant these days.  From interviews with employees and/or companies who aren’t what they seem to emails that include malicious links to fake websites that hope to trick individuals to provide sensitive information, there are lots of opportunities to be scammed.

Have you talked with staff about scams? Do you have any processes in place to try to prevent or educate your staff from being tricked?

It’s easy to think we know what to look for and that we’ll spot any fakes, but it’s not that simple.  AI has provided hackers with the ability to come across as sincere and informative, even when they’re not.  And although purchasing gift cards is a common tactic, there are still individuals who believe they’re doing what must be done when they are pressured into purchasing and providing these gifts cards, so we need to do a more thorough job of education.

One of the biggest deterrents to scams is taking some time. 

Encourage staff to step back if someone is pressuring them to make a quick decision that involves sensitive information or to make quick purchases.  If they are not in a room with someone they know and/or having a face-to-face conversation with a known individual, have them validate the need before acting.  If they receive a request to purchase anything unusual that involves spending their or company money, require a secondary confirmation of the need by having another manager or designated individual validate the request.

When bringing on new staff, talk with them about scams and make sure they know the process you have for making purchases and/or providing information.  New staff are often eager to please so they might make mistakes trying to show that they’re efficient and productive.  New/inexperienced staff can be especially vulnerable, so make sure they feel comfortable double checking any requests, as they may not want to “bother” their manager for something they think is common practice, even when it’s not.

We all need to do what we can to discourage scammers and prevent them from profiting.  Awareness and diligence may not prevent all problems, but maintaining awareness will help your company and your staff.

#scams #positivity #management #hrconsultant

Scams are everywhere. Train staff to make them aware of the possibilities.