Spot Small Business Scams: A Neighborly Guide for National Veterans Small Business Week

8 minutes ago

5 min read

Pull up a chair. Behind nearly every small business is someone who works long hours, wears about six hats, and doesn't have an IT department or a legal team down the hall. That makes a busy owner (and a busy employee) a very appealing target for scammers.

This week is a good time to talk about it. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is marking National Veterans Small Business Week from Nov. 9 to 13, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is using the occasion to point out that one great way to honor veteran business owners is to help them avoid scams. Let's break this down.

Here's What Happened

The SBA says 2026 marks the 13th year of National Veterans Small Business Week, running Nov. 9–13, with the theme "Honoring Veteran-Owned, American Made." According to the SBA, the week honors 1.6 million veteran-owned small businesses, which it says generate $1 trillion in annual sales and $179 billion in payroll and employ approximately three million workers.

On Nov. 5, the FTC published a consumer alert encouraging people to help veteran-owned small businesses spot and avoid scams. It points to two free resources:

A virtual webinar on Monday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. ET called "Helping Military Veterans Protect Their Small Business from Scams," hosted by the FTC and the Florida Veterans Business Outreach Center.
The FTC's guide, Scams and Your Small Business, which covers fake invoices, tech support scams, business and government impersonators, and more.

To be clear, this isn't a report of a brand-new scam wave. It's a timely reminder, and the FTC's central message is a simple one: a business's best defense is an informed workforce.

Why It Matters

When scammers go after a business, the FTC says it can hurt both its reputation and its bottom line. And small teams often have just one or two people handling the bills, the email and the phone, which means one convincing message can slip through.

The FTC describes three tactics that show up again and again:

Scammers pretend to be someone you trust, such as a company or government agency you know.
They create urgency, intimidation and fear, hoping you'll act before you can check their claims.
They ask for payment in specific ways, often wire transfers, cryptocurrency or gift cards. The FTC's advice is blunt: don't pay anyone who demands payment that way.

What This Means for the Village

The FTC's guide applies to any business or nonprofit, not only veteran-owned ones. If you run a shop, a food truck, a home-based business or a side hustle, this is for you. It's also for the employee who opens the mail, the volunteer treasurer at a church or booster club, and the family member who "helps with the books" on weekends.

Here are the common scams the FTC lists, in plain English.

Money and Paperwork Scams

Fake invoices and unordered merchandise. A phony bill that looks like something you ordered, or a call to "confirm" an order or offer a "free" sample that leads to unordered goods and pressure to pay.
Listing and advertising scams. Bills for ads or business-directory listings you never agreed to.
Credit card processing and equipment leasing scams. Promises of lower rates, followed by fine print or changed terms.
Fake check scams. You're overpaid by check and asked to send the difference back. The check turns out to be bad, even if it appears to have "cleared."

Impersonators and Pressure Tactics

Business and government impersonation. Examples in the FTC's guide include a fake utility shutoff warning, threats to suspend a business license, paid "compliance posters" that are free from the U.S. Department of Labor, fake grant applications, and bogus trademark or website-URL fees.
Business coaching scams. Expensive programs built on fake testimonials and big promises.
Review scams. Offers to replace negative reviews or add positive ones. The FTC notes that posting fake reviews is illegal.

Tech Scams

Tech support scams. An alarming pop-up or call claiming there's a problem with your computer.
Phishing, social engineering and ransomware. Messages that seem to come from a manager or a routine password update request, designed to get passwords or bank details, or to lock up your files.

What You Can Do Now

Set a simple invoice rule. Have a clear process for approving purchases and invoices, and check each bill against something you actually ordered.
Talk to your team. Spend 15 minutes explaining how these scams work. The FTC suggests telling staff never to send passwords or sensitive information by email, even if the message looks like it came from a manager. Free copies of the FTC brochure can be ordered at ftc.gov/bulkorder.
Don't trust caller ID. Numbers can be faked. If you get an unexpected text or email, don't click links, open attachments or download files.
Check before you sign. Search a company's name along with the word "scam" or "complaint," ask people you trust, and get copies of all documents right away. Never sign blank paperwork. Free business advice is available through programs like SCORE.
Know your rights on surprise packages. The FTC says that if you receive merchandise you didn't order, you have a legal right to keep and use it for free.
Report it. If you spot a scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and tell your state attorney general (find yours at NAAG.org). If you've already sent money, contact your bank or card issuer as soon as you can.

How the Village Can Help

Scammers count on people feeling embarrassed and staying quiet. We can change that, one neighbor at a time.

Share the news. Send the FTC webinar details and the free guide to a veteran-owned business owner you know. The FTC's alert page has the event information, and the written guide is free anytime if you can't make it live.
Point entrepreneurs to real help. The SBA's National Veterans Small Business Week page lists events and resources, including Boots to Business and local Veterans Business Outreach Centers. The SBA says it has 51 of those centers nationwide.
Listen without judgment. If a friend says they were scammed, help them report it and protect their accounts. Shame helps no one but the scammer.
Shop and celebrate local. See our roundup of Veterans Day Week ceremonies in Around The Village, and read how business owners tell their own stories in How to Promote Your Small Business Online from our Entrepreneur Stories.

Looking for more scam-proofing tips for your household? Our earlier Front Porch guides on charity and sweepstakes scams and protecting older family members from fraud use many of the same habits.