Eye on Scams: Phishing scheme using Google profiles

The Better Business Bureau is advising businesses to be suspicious of messages sent to your Google Business profile.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)-- The Better Business Bureau is advising businesses to be suspicious of messages sent to your Google Business profile. Experts have learned of several phishing attempts that are trying to engage business owners.

Messages to your Google Business profile are a great way to interact with customers who can ask questions about special promotions, or anything else related to your business, but scammers are targeting Google Business profiles using a phishing scheme. The BBB has received reports of scammers claiming to need flooring or roofing services from businesses who do not provide those services. The request for fake services is only to start conversation with the business owners in an attempt to steal money. Scammers send out hundreds, if not thousands, of these messages.

"Scammers pretending to be consumers contacting businesses because businesses want new business and new customers, so it is definitely something to be leery of. We encourage the same types of practices that we would encourage in any situation. Be leery of any unsolicited communications and the conversations that need money out of you and that need you to pay money upfront obviously can be an issue," says Chris Babin of the BBB of Acadiana.

Here are some tips when dealing with unsolicited messages:

• Be skeptical. Strangers on the internet can pretend to be anyone. Question motives behind both solicited and unsolicited messages.
• Check for spelling and grammatical errors. Carefully check over communications and analyze them for any inconsistencies.
• Lastly, guard personal information and photos. Scammers may try to solicit personal information through methods such as cold calls, texts, or emails. Remember that any photo you upload on social media can be stolen and used by a scammer.

If you have a scam you'd like me to investigate, feel free to send me an email at smasters@klfy.com