(BBB)
BBB Serving Western VA has recently learned that local businesses are being solicited by a scam artist offering to sell advertising on Carilion Clinic’s hospital patient discharge bags.
BBB has verified that businesses receive calls from an individual claiming to be “Rebecca McCloud.” Businesses are told that Carilion Clinic has contracted with her to advertise these bags. In addition, the caller is offering a discount if the payment can be taken over the phone. Carilion Clinic has not contracted with any outside party to sell these advertisements.
BBB was unable to reach the caller by the email provided and the phone number used in this scam is now disconnected. The company website referenced in the scammer’s email address is not active.
BBB reminds businesses to be vigilant to avoid falling victim to this type of scam. Unfortunately, scam artists seek out loyal and community-minded business owners eager to help support other businesses and organizations in their community. Scammers are known to change their names and phone numbers daily. The best way to protect yourself and your business is to understand the scam and how it works.
BBB has warned businesses about similar scams where callers attempt to sell advertisements on school sports posters or local restaurant menus. The variations are endless, so it is important to scrutinize any offer you receive.
Consider the following tips to avoid falling victim to these scams:
- Train your front-end employees to be aware of how this scam works.
- Check out the offer with the organization before proceeding.
- Have a process to verify that any invoices you receive are legitimate.
- Check with BBB before agreeing to this type of offer or any offer from a company you are unfamiliar with. By alerting BBB, you can help protect other area businesses.
If you have sent money to pay for an advertisement you now realize is a scam, contact your bank or financial institution as soon as you can report the fraud. You may also report it to BBB via our Scam Tracker at BBB.org/ScamTracker.
For more information that can benefit your business, check out the BBB business news feed and BBB's Business Scam HQ.