You rely on us for financial solutions to help you acquire Cat® equipment and protect your investment. So, it’s important that we do our part in protecting you, which is why we’re committed to keeping your personal and financial information secure. 

The last thing any business owner wants is to be the victim of fraud. A well-placed digital attack or carefully crafted scheme executed by a malicious actor can do a lot of damage to you and your business. 

Understanding the impact of fraud and its potential consequences is an important part of running a successful business. When you’re informed, you’re more ready, willing and able to act to prevent and mitigate fraud. Let’s look at the state of fraud related to businesses, then review some practical advice for protecting your enterprise from common scams.

3 TIPS TO RECOGNIZE IMPERSONATORS:

Recognizing the difference between legitimate communications from businesses you trust and messages intended to defraud or scam your business is vital. Here are some reminders should you receive a communication that claims to be from Cat Financial:

1. Refuse to make a payment or share payment information over the phone if you are contacted by someone saying they work for Cat Financial. These calls often use pressure tactics, such as threats demanding immediate payments to avoid major fees or serious penalties like repossession of your equipment. After you hang up, contact Cat Financial to let us know about the fraud. If you’re unsure whether the call is legitimate, it’s always safer to hang up and then initiate a call back to the official Cat Financial phone number that aligns with your concern.
2. Avoid cashing any checks sent to you from Cat Financial, unless you’re expecting the payment and the details are in line with what you know to be true. This is a time-tested scam. In this situation, a fraudster will likely contact you to tell you the check was issued in error, tell you to cash it and that you can keep part of the amount for the trouble of routing the money back to the sender. However, once you make the payment to the fraudster, you will eventually receive notice that the check bounced or was otherwise declined for deposit — leaving your business with a potentially significant loss. If you encounter this type of fraud, contact Cat Financial to let us know.
3. Decline to share personal, account, or financial information requested through an unsolicited email, text message or phone call from someone claiming to represent Cat Financial. While we will occasionally communicate with you through text and email, we will never ask you to share sensitive information through these channels. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of a phone call asking for such details, hang up and initiate your own call, using the relevant number listed in official documents you possess or listed on our website, to be safe. If you experience such an attempt, get in touch with Cat Financial to let us know about it.

7 TIPS FOR GENERAL FRAUD PREVENTION:

• Don’t share your PIN, login, or other banking information with anyone or write it down. Password protect any device you use to access online banking. Tip: implement 2-factor authentication if it’s available.

• Never grant any system access to, or download software offered by, someone making a cold call.

• Don’t provide sensitive personal or banking information after you click on a link in a text message or email. 

• Review your paper statement, bills, and online accounts frequently. Utilize alert options to monitor activity and transactions.

• Don’t access online banking when connected via public Wi-Fi. Consider turning off any features on your device that automatically connect you to public networks.

• Update all computers and devices regularly to ensure the latest security requirements are active.

• Carefully review website URLs to ensure they’re legitimate and not look-alike addresses and sites used by scammers. 

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IMMEDIATELY

If you receive a suspicious email, phone call or SMS from someone claiming to be from Cat Financial, please contact your local Customer Support Representative.

Effective fraud prevention helps keep you and your business safe and secure, providing more time to focus on your core operations.

*Disclaimer: This article is intended to convey general information only. Nothing contained herein is intended to be, nor should it be construed as, legal advice. If you have a legal question, please consult your attorney.