JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Scammers are targeting small business owners, and we want to make sure you can spot the lies, so you don’t get ripped off.
The FTC says imposters are posing as government workers mailing forms and letters that demand payment to register or renew a business license or trademark – and threaten you with fines if you don’t act immediately.
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The phony letters have agency names that include words like “United States,” “Business Regulation,” and “Trademark” to make them look more legitimate and may direct to a website that asks you to provide your license, Social Security, EIN (employee identification number), and credit card numbers.
If you get one, before you do anything, the FTC says you can check to see if it’s real or not by verifying government names and contact information on the website USA.gov. Don’t use any websites or phone numbers listed on the letter itself.
It’s important to note that the government will never ask you to wire money or pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a payment app. The FTC says scammers like to use these methods because it’s hard to track that money and hard to get back.
If you receive a letter or any scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.FTC.gov. If you think you’ve paid a scammer or provided an imposter with your personal information, the FTC has step-by-step instructions on what to do here.