West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce E-Newsletter

Make it Your Business to Fight Fraud

Fraud has become an ongoing issue in West Nipissing and it is with great importance that business owners in our community take the necessary precautions to avoid such negative outcomes. It has been brought to the Chamber's attention that there has been numerous Credit Card Fraud incidents in West Nipissing over the past few weeks. We want to ensure that business owners in our community are aware of these occurrences and the steps that can be taken to mitigate the risks of experiencing fraud. 

When you run your own business, you don't have the time or the money to be a victim of fraud, a challenging problem that touches everyone. It is far better to take measures to arm yourself with strategies on how to prevent fraud from affecting your bottom line than to lose revenue that you work hard to earn.

As a first step for your business, you can turn to The Competition Bureau's  Fraud Awareness for Commercial Targets initiative for the facts you need to keep your business from becoming a victim of fraud. This useful information includes:
  • Common business scams to avoid, such as scams involving office supplies, directory listings and phoney invoices
  • Identifying aspects of your business that could make you vulnerable
  • How to create a strategy that will help your business steer clear of fraud
  • A guide on how to train your staff to act as an effective front line
  • Procedures for reporting fraud
It is important to remember that if any of your business is done online, there is ample opportunity for fraud. One such example is the use of fraudulent credit cards, so it makes good business sense to have checks and balances in place to keep you from being ripped off. You may consider implementing some of these practices to prevent falling prey to fraud:
  • Use an external credit card processor
  • Make sure the payment clears before shipping the purchase
  • Verify the purchase by phone
  • Call the issuing bank for verification after requiring potential customers to include the bank's 1-800 number with credit card details
These extra steps may take time, but keeping your revenues where they belong is worth the effort. 
The Competition Bureau's Fraud Awareness for Commercial Targets
Practical advice on how to protect your business or not-for-profit organization against fraud:

What You Will Learn

* Common Techniques of Fraudsters 
* Types of Business Scams 
* Key Phrases Used by Fraudsters
* Why You May Be Vulnerable to Fraud 
* How to Protect Your Organization
* How to Build an Anti-fraud Plan

Please CLICK HERE to view a PowerPoint about Fraud Prevention from the Government of Canada. 


Upcoming Meetings and Events

START TIME 
03:00 pm

END TIME  
March 23, 2016 at 07:00 pm

LOCATION  
Boreal Berry Farm & Winery
Saint-Charles ON

Games run at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm Daily until March 23! 

Boreal Winery's Escape Room Games are reality room escape games based on computer and mobile phone games. Escape rooms are an increasingly popular real life, interactive puzzle filled environment that challenges you to think your way out of a locked room. An escape adventure from the ordinary world inside four walls. It's about team building, working together and getting to know one another's strengths and weaknesses to solve a mental challenge and test your skills. Get to know your teammates like never before in this popular group reality experience! When you arrive Our Wine Maker will explain the challenge and the rules. Upon entering the climate controlled cellar with your team the cellar door is locked behind you. Forty Five minutes is set on the clock and you must work together in order to find clues, solve puzzles and escape the cellar in this real life adventure that will lead to your escape. It is part scavenger hunt, part puzzle game and part mystery solving...time is ticking! Find hidden objects, make creative leaps, crack codes, solve puzzles and discover secrets that stand between you and your escape.

Book a Boreal Escapes Game. All Games include the Escape Room Game, and a tasting session of two of our Wines or non-alcoholic Ice Ciders, hosted by our wine maker! The cost is $28.00 per person. Event is 19+. 
Our Great Cellar Escape Room Game is for 6 to 16 participants.
   
To Book tickets CLICK HERE
or call 705-920-7096

The Cellar Caper Coming spring 2016!
West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce
200 Main Street, Unit B
Sturgeon Falls, ON
P2B 1P2
Tel: 705-753-5672 Fax: 705-580-5672
Subscribe to the West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce E-Newsletter