Online Scams Targeting Business Owners (And How to Protect Your Business)

Holly Michelle
1 day ago
5 min read

Running a business online comes with incredible opportunities but it also opens the door to people trying to take advantage of business owners. I’ve experienced multiple different types with my own business but also when I worked for a large bank for over ten years. The scams and financial fraud is WILD. Let’s chat about it…

Over the past few years, online scams targeting small businesses have become more sophisticated, more frequent, and harder to spot. Many of them look like legitimate inquiries from potential clients, vendors, or collaborators.

If you run a service-based business, manage a website, or have a public contact form, chances are you’ll eventually receive one of these messages.

Understanding how these scams work is the first step to protecting yourself.

Below are some of the most common online scams targeting business owners right now and how to recognize them before they cost you time or money.

Many of these have targeted my clients and I've been able to help them avoid these scams!

The “Large Budget Client” Scam

One of the most common scams targeting designers, marketers, and service providers starts with what appears to be a dream client inquiry.

You receive a message that says something like:

They have a large budget
They want a website or marketing project
They’re ready to move forward quickly
They’re located out of state or overseas

Everything seems legitimate until they introduce a strange request.

Typically, they will ask you to:

Pay their “vendor” or “project manager” with extra money they give you.
Accept payment and forward part of it to someone else
Handle payments on their behalf

They may send a check, promise a bank transfer, or ask you to handle the transaction through CashApp, Venmo, or another payment app.

Once you send the money, the original payment turns out to be fraudulent or reverses, and you are left responsible for the loss.

(TRUST ME... I use to deal with fraud at the bank I worked for, for over ten years and I would have to be the one to tell someone that their claims were denied. The bank CAN deny and refuse to refund funds due to "fraud")

🚩Red Flags 🚩

The budget seems unusually high
They avoid video calls or real conversations or only want to communicate over texting apps
They want you to handle payments for someone else
They push for quick payment processing

A legitimate client will never ask you to pay their vendors. Or refuse to pay with your invoices or payment processers.

The Overpayment Check Scam 💰

This scam is extremely common and has been around for years, but it still catches many business owners off guard. I saw this ALL THE TIME at the bank and actaully a client of mine recently dealt with this scam and I was able to let them know it was FRAUD.

Here’s how it works:

A “client” hires you for a project.
They send a check for more than the agreed amount. (You told them is was $2,000 and they sent you a check or inline payment for $5,000)
They claim it was a mistake.
They ask you to send the difference back.

The check initially appears to clear your bank account, so it seems safe. (It takes mulitple business days for a bank to determine that the check is fraud.)

But days or weeks later, the bank identifies it as fraudulent and removes the funds from your account.

By that point, the money you sent back is already gone and now you are left responsible for sending out money that had not cleared.

🚩 Red Flags 🚩

Payment sent before work begins
A check larger than the agreed amount
Urgent requests to return the difference quickly

If a client overpays, the safest option is to void the payment and ask them to resend the correct amount. Always call the bank that the check is drawn off of to verify the check (yes, the bank will verify it for you). Even if the check says it's an "Offical Check"... it STILL CAN BE FAKE. In fact, scammers 9/10 will use a fake "offical check" to fool you into not thinking that it could be fake and to question it.

Google Business Profile Message Scams

If your business has a Google Business Profile, you may receive messages that look like legitimate inquiries. (I use to get this a lot!)

However, scammers frequently use these messages to start conversations that move quickly off-platform.

Common examples include:

Requests for website design or marketing services
Vague inquiries with minimal details
Requests to continue the conversation via text or email

After you respond, they may introduce one of the scams mentioned above.

🚩 Red Flags 🚩

Very vague business details
Generic messages sent to multiple businesses
Requests to switch communication platforms quickly

Always verify who you’re speaking with before moving forward with any project discussion.

Fake Website or SEO Service Offers

Another common scam targets business owners by claiming there’s a problem with their website.

You might receive emails saying things like:

“Your website will be removed from Google.”
“Your SEO is broken.”
“Your domain is about to expire.”
"You website has been hacked"

They often try to scare business owners into paying for unnecessary or fake services.

OR they send emails claiming to be your web host (like GoDaddy, Wix, WordPress etc..) and that you renewal is coming up and to update payment info,

🚩 Red Flags 🚩

Urgent warnings about Google removing your site
Requests for login credentials
Generic emails that don’t mention your actual website

Google does not send messages like this, and legitimate professionals will never ask for sensitive login information right away.

Fake Invoice Scams

Sometimes scammers skip the conversation entirely and send invoices hoping businesses will simply pay them.

These may look like charges for:

Domain renewals
Directory listings
SEO services
Advertising placements

If you pay without verifying, the money is gone. The bank will likely not refund the money because you were not hacked and nothing was stolen... you voluntarily sent out the money.

🚩 Red Flags 🚩

Invoices for services you never signed up for
Unknown companies requesting payment
Vague descriptions of services

Always confirm invoices with vendors you already have established relationships with.

Simple Ways to Protect Your Business

While scams are becoming more common, there are a few simple habits that can dramatically reduce your risk.

Verify new clients
Look up the business, website, and social media presence before starting a project.
Never handle payments for someone else
No legitimate client will ask you to distribute funds to their vendors.
Avoid accepting checks from unknown clients
Digital payments through verified platforms are safer and easier to track.
Trust your instincts

If something feels off, it usually is.

Scammers often rely on urgency, confusion, and excitement to push people into quick decisions.

Why Website Security and Business Systems Matter

Having clear systems in place for client communication, payments, and project onboarding can help protect your business from situations like these.

Professional websites and well-structured inquiry forms make it easier to:

Filter out suspicious inquiries
Require legitimate client information
Create a more secure onboarding process

At HM Digital Design, I help businesses build websites that don’t just look pretty but I we are also your partner in this journey. Im here to support my clients and this is just one of the ways. In fact, before publishing this post, I created a whole guide that is sent to each of my clients with steps and insight on these scams and more.