TULSA, Okla. — The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is issuing a warning for business owners or employees about the latest way scammers may try to get money from you.
FOX23 Morning Anchor Michelle Linn learned how scammers are using Google Chat to contact businesses in, what the BBB calls, a classic money mule scam.
Amie Mitchell from Tulsa’s BBB said the scammer contacted a local business, asking for a favor.
“Thankfully the business owner was smart enough to reach out to the Better Business Bureau before they ever sent any money or did anything, but we are finding this is affecting the local business community,” Mitchell said.
For example, the scammers say they will write a check for $1,000, instead of $600 and will then ask you to wire them the last $400.
“The problem is that transaction is never going to clear for whatever reason and you’re out the money,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell warns business owners to be careful about the messages they get on social media.
“We’re getting more and more feedback that they’re getting these messages off of social media sites where their business might be listed, or Google, different search engines, so be careful on the different kind of chat or messages that you’re getting off social sites because you just never know where they’re coming from.”
Mitchell said anytime someone is going to ask you for a favor or money, that it is most likely a scam.
If someone sends a check for more than what they owe, asking for the rest to be wired back to them, it could be a scam.
You can report any scams to the BBB scam tracker.
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