Financial Blog

The holiday season is just around the corner, and it’s a time filled with joy and celebration. However, it is also a season when we need to be extra cautious because scammers are known to always come up with new schemes to get their hands on your hard-earned money. Unfortunately, they often target vulnerable individuals, including business owners, who are looking for affordable funding options for their ventures. These scammers are experts at disguising themselves as legitimate financial companies, and their intentions are nothing short of taking your money or obtaining sensitive information to harm your business.

But fret not because while fraud methods may keep evolving, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your business. Here are some friendly tips and red flags to keep in mind:

1. Beware of Advance Processing Fees

   Legitimate lending companies and financial institutions will never ask you to pay for processing fees upfront. Typically, these fees are either paid directly to the bank or deducted from your business loan proceeds.

2. Don’t succumb to Pressure Tactics
   

   Scammers usually demand immediate action from their victims by proposing time bound loan offers. As a result, the victims tend to overlook the warning signs. Remember, you should never sign any documents under pressure. Take your time to research and thoroughly read the terms and conditions of any business loan.

3. Question Guaranteed Approval
   

   Credible lending companies need to check the financial capacity of a business and ensure that it has a good credit history because they base their offers on your business credit score. Therefore, loan applications must undergo a credit evaluation. Be cautious of any lender promising guaranteed approval without conducting a credit evaluation.

4. Be skeptical of Unrealistic Interest Rates
   

   If an interest rate seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers will appeal to their targets by proposing business loan offers with unbelievably low interest rates. Always compare loan offers from different lending companies to check the prevailing interest rates.

5. Look for the Signs of Legitimacy
   

   Before committing to any business loan, make sure to verify the legitimacy and credibility of the lending party. Fraudulent entities are usually untraceable so they can avoid legal actions. With this, you must always verify if the lending company has a physical office location, has a secure and official website, and uses an official email address with the company’s domain.

When you’re in the process of securing a business loan, remember to keep an eye out for these red flags. Your vigilance can help protect you from falling victim to fraud.

Don’t be a victim of fraud! Be vigilant at all times!

#FightFraudTogether #BetterBanking