| Unfortunately, recently I have been hearing a lot | | | | ask them to clarify or reword it. It's better to be |
| of small business owners complain about online | | | | safe then sorry. |
| companies that have ripped them off in the past. | | | | 8. Always sign something. |
| Some experiences involve companies taking their | | | | A copy of a contract with no signature is almost |
| money when they sign up and not delivering what | | | | as useless as not having anything in writing. A |
| was promised. Others involve the company simply | | | | signature and date proves that you agreed to |
| "disappearing" after the customer signs up without | | | | something. If you don't have this, then it's basically |
| delivering the service paid for. | | | | your word against theirs. It's even better if you |
| It is my goal to educate small business owners so | | | | also get the company to sign the agreement. |
| that they can avoid these situations from | | | | That way they are also signing stating that they |
| happening in the future. There are a lot of | | | | will give you what is promised in the agreement. |
| precautions that can be taken and simple research | | | | 9. Check to see how long the company has been |
| that can be done so that you, as a small business | | | | in business. |
| owner, can rest assured that your money is safe. | | | | If the company just started 2 months ago, it |
| 1. Do a Google search on the Company's name. | | | | might not have the financial stability that you need |
| If you are dealing with a company with a bad | | | | it to have in order to be safe from getting |
| reputation, there is a good chance that someone | | | | scammed. There is an easy way to find out how |
| has posted something somewhere online about | | | | long a website has been in existence. Go to and |
| their experience. A simple search for the | | | | enter the website address into the search bar. On |
| company's name should expose these. If the | | | | the results page, it should give you a date when |
| company has a very generic name, do a search | | | | the domain was created. If the date listed is fairly |
| for the company's website address instead | | | | recent, you might want to rethink your decision |
| (Example: search on Google for | | | | of signing up with them. |
| "examplecompany.com"). | | | | 10. Always ask for references. |
| 2. See if there is a phone number and address on | | | | If the company who approaches you is one you |
| the website. | | | | have not heard of before, ask them for |
| If a company does not post their address or | | | | references from customers who have been using |
| phone number on their website, there is probably | | | | their service for six months or longer. It's very |
| a good reason for it. A lot of bad online | | | | important to get customers who have been with |
| companies simply have contact forms on their | | | | them a decent amount of time because new |
| site. If this is the case for the company that | | | | customers wouldn't have had enough time to |
| you're investigating - BEWARE - there is probably | | | | judge the quality of their product. |
| a reason why it is not there. | | | | 11. If the price sounds too low, there might be a |
| 3. Do a Google search for the address listed on | | | | reason for that. |
| the company's website. | | | | A lot of online scams offer products that are |
| A lot of bad online companies will try and get | | | | fairly inexpensive. Since their motto is to sign up |
| away with listing a false address on their website | | | | as many customers as possible, with no focus on |
| or email signatures. Most people wouldn't think to | | | | customer retention, it is in their best interests to |
| check to see if the address is legit, but if you | | | | use low-pricing as a sales technique. If you find |
| want to avoid being scammed, this is a good idea. | | | | that their prices are significantly lower than other |
| When you type in the address on Google, look to | | | | companies that have approached you about the |
| see what shows up in the search results. If the | | | | same service, it might mean that they simply |
| results show you business listings that are | | | | don't deliver what they promise. |
| unrelated to the company that you are searching | | | | 12. Make sure the customer service phone |
| for, then this should raise a red flag. I've done this | | | | number does not take you to a sales person's |
| before for bad online companies and their | | | | voicemail. |
| addresses pulled business results for real estate | | | | A lot of small companies that are trying to make |
| development properties. Or, sometimes a search | | | | some quick money will have their customer |
| will reveal that the address is in a residential zone. | | | | service number send you straight to one person's |
| 4. If the address is a PO Box, you might want to | | | | voicemail. If the phone number doesn't take you |
| ask the company for their actual office address. | | | | through an automated system that requires you |
| Anyone can register a PO Box, and if that is the | | | | to enter in an extension, it might be because the |
| only existing address for a particular company, it | | | | company is run by 1 or 2 individuals, which usually |
| might be a sign that they're operating their | | | | isn't a good sign. Also, if the customer service |
| business out of someone's basement. | | | | number takes you to the sales department, this |
| 5. Always get it in writing. | | | | might give you a clue about how much time and |
| Any company that asks you for your credit card | | | | money the company invests into customer |
| number over the phone should be avoided. | | | | service (none). |
| Always get a copy of what you're agreeing to | | | | 13. If you get an email from a company, make |
| and make sure you read the entire thing. Without | | | | sure it comes from a company email address. |
| documentation, it's really hard to prove that a | | | | If the email address is a gmail or hotmail address, |
| company didn't deliver what they promised | | | | it might be a bad sign because it means the |
| 6. Don't always believe what the sales reps tell | | | | company hasn't even taken the time to build a |
| you. | | | | website with personalized emails. Company emails |
| If the sales rep on the phone tells you something | | | | should always be in the format It doesn't only tell |
| that is not listed in the contract you're signing, it's | | | | you that the company is more established, it can |
| safe to assume it may not be true. If the sales | | | | also assure you that the sales rep does in fact |
| rep guarantees your business something, they | | | | represent the company that he's claiming to be |
| should have no problem restating that guarantee | | | | associated with. For example, if someone calls you |
| in the contract that you sign. | | | | claiming that they work for Yellow Pages but their |
| 7. Make sure you understand the Terms & | | | | email address is steve234@hotmail, you might |
| Conditions. | | | | want to re-examine whether or not you should |
| If there is something written in the Terms & | | | | do business with him. |
| Conditions that you don't completely understand, | | | | |