Small and Medium business owners are being directly targeted in grant fraud, loan fraud and phishing schemes. Targeted attacks to SMB owners are based around the $400 Billion CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

The SBA has released the following guidelines to avoid being scammed.

Scams and Fraud Schemes

Grants

  • SBA does not initiate contact on either 7a or Disaster loans or grants.  If you are proactively contacted by someone claiming to be from the SBA, suspect fraud.

Loans

  • If you are contacted by someone promising to get approval of an SBA loan, but requires any payment up front or offers a high interest bridge loan in the interim, suspect fraud.
  • SBA limits the fees a broker can charge a borrower to 3% for loans $50,000 or less and 2% for loans $50,000 to $1,000,000 with an additional ¼% on amounts over $1,000,000.  Any attempt to charge more than these fees is inappropriate.
  • If you have a question about getting a SBA disaster loan, call 800-659-2955 or send an email to [email protected].
  • If you have questions about other SBA lending products, call SBA’s Answer Desk at 800-827-5722 or send an email to [email protected].

Phishing

  • If you are in the process of applying for an SBA loan and receive email correspondence asking for PII, ensure that the referenced application number is consistent with the actual application number.
  • Look out for phishing attacks/scams utilizing the SBA logo.  These may be attempts to obtain your personally identifiable information (PII),to obtain personal banking access, or to install ransomware/malware on your computer.
  • Any email communication from SBA will come from accounts ending with sba.gov.
  • The presence of an SBA logo on a webpage does not guaranty the information is accurate or endorsed by SBA.  Please cross-reference any information you receive with information available at www.sba.gov.

 

Report Fraud

Report any suspected fraud to OIG’s Hotline at 800-767-0385 or online at, https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/oversight-advocacy/office-inspector-general/office-inspector-general-hotline.

 

Protect your business

These attacks have gone from random, broad pool phishing to direct attacks, using human nature, impersonating a known sender, and replicating emails to steal information. Be cautious of these attacks and reach out to the appropriate contacts if you feel that you have had a breech of security.

Contact OnPar at [email protected] or 919-926-9619 and we will be happy to help.