LIMA, OH (WLIO) - The Better Business Bureau is warning of a scam targeting business owners.
Per corporate transparency, owners of both active and inactive private businesses are required to fill out a form identifying themselves as the owner by January 2025. Scammers are using emails that closely resemble government agencies, asking people to fill out the form and charging a fee. There is no fee to submit the actual form, and once scammers have your credit card information, they may continue taking money.
The Better Business Bureau has seen several cases in the counties surrounding Lima and expects more as the deadline approaches. The emails contain similar but fake links or a scammer's phone number.
"They will be very convincing, so you won't really fake them out over the phone; they'll be prepared for most of the questions. They'll have answers; they'll be fake answers, but they will be persuasive. So I would recommend you not call. If you feel compelled to call, go do your own web search, find fincen.gov, and call their phone number," said Lane Montz, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau.
If you receive a fake email, you can report it to https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.
