COURT HOUSE — Sheriff Gary Schaffer Friday, Feb. 20 announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration issued a scam alert to small businesses, warning them not to respond to letters falsely claiming to have been sent by the SBA asking for bank account information in order to qualify them for federal tax rebates.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the fraudulent letters were sent out on what appears to be SBA letterhead to small businesses, advising recipients that they may be eligible for a tax rebate under the Economic Stimulus Act, and that the SBA is assessing their eligibility for such a rebate. The letter asks the small business to provide the name of its bank and account number.
These letters have not been sent by or authorized by the SBA, and all small businesses are strongly advised not to respond to them.
The scheme is similar in many ways to e-mail scams often referred to as “phishing” that seek personal data and financial account information that enables another party to access and individual’s bank accounts or to engage in identity theft.
“This scam seems to be timed with the release of Federal Stimulus Money and businesses should be on alert for this scam and questionable forms they might receive from other sources. If you are suspicious, contact your local police department, the county prosecutor or the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office,” Shaffer said in a release.
The SBA is working with the SBA Office of Inspector General to investigate this matter. The Office of Inspector General asks that anyone who receives such a letter report it to the OIG Fraud Line at 1 (800) 767-0385, or e-mail at OIGHotline@sba.gov.
