Protecting your business
Image: igor.nazlo/stock.adobe.com
On my way home from the office I frequently turn on the Radio 1 channel, and this week, they’re speaking about protecting yourself against scammers, which isn’t just something children should be taught!
Yesterday evening, a ‘fake’ scam call was set up by Nick Stapleton, investigative journalist and reporter on BBC One’s Scam Interceptors, to one of the Radio 1 DJs. Stapleton impersonated someone working for Amazon, phoning to tell the DJ that their account seemed to have experienced fraudulent activity, and asking probing questions that could have led to personal details being passed on. Thankfully, the DJ was wary of the caller and shut it down, but not until after they’d agreed to receive a text message with a security code.
Now, this situation may not be directly applicable to a metal packaging business, but the same rules should still apply. It goes without saying that the absolute best way to protect against scammers is to know your business inside out, and identify the potential weaker areas that might need extra protection. Backing up your data in a secure environment is also crucial in ensuring safety against cyber attacks, as is insuring property and assets against damage and theft.
Training your staff in recognising scams is also paramount, especially if – like us here at Bell – all your employees frequently use email systems. Phishing seems to be more rife than ever before; I receive at least a couple of these kind of emails per day. We even had a situation last year where an email was sent to everyone mimicking Neil McRitchie. Luckily, the email it came from was a tell-tale sign that this was one to ignore and report, but it shows you how easy it is to get caught out.
Additionally, while the rise of AI is showing its benefits to businesses, it can also aid in their downfall, with scammers utilising this technology for their own gains, leading to data leaks and more. The National Cyber Security Centre has guidance on how to safely use AI here.
Trust is arguably the foundation of a successful business, and it clearly pays to be vigilant.
- Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
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