Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
With coronavirus comes a new wave of scams and all manner of misinformation, making small business owners vulnerable.
The aerospace, transport, manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare and insurance industries have already been targeted.
Action Fraud, a crime detection unit, has received 21 reports of fraud where coronavirus is mentioned. This may not sound like much, but over £800,000 has been lost so far.
Ten of these cases involved people attempting to buy masks from fraudulent sellers. One such victim lost over £15,000 for masks that were never delivered.
Other scams are more standard, seeing victims tricked into opening dodgy attachments and giving out personal information. Attachments can lead to websites promising a tax refund from the government or a donation page for people in need.
Predictably, some are exploiting money worries that small businesses are having at this time, like offering bogus loans. Their solutions demand upfront fees, pressuring victims to part with their money quickly.
Reports have been shared of WhatsApp messages telling you your bank is facing difficulty because of coronavirus. To protect your cash, they tell you to push it to a new bank account with alternative details.
Be aware that certain slimy fraudsters are using HMRC branding to

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