Small Business Fraud: What to Do

With a tagline FRAUD: RECOGNIZE IT. REPORT IT. STOP IT., March is Fraud Prevention Month. Announced on March 19, 2008, the Canadian Government’s Competition Bureau prepared a campaign called FACT: Fraud Awareness for Commercial Targets. This educational website for businesses and not-for-profit organizations includes tools and information on everything from scam techniques and training your staff to spot fraud to building an anti-fraud plan and reporting a possible scam. Here’s the news release. Other fraud prevention events and announcements may be found at www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/fraud.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre can be reached at:
www.antifraudcentre.ca OR
1-888-495-8501

The Bank of Canada includes a section of their website dedicated to fighting fraud for retailers. Called “Fighting Fraud on the Front Lines: A Retailer’s Guide”, there are downloadable fact sheets on identity fraud, payment card fraud, bank note counterfeiting, cheque and money order fraud. There is also an order form available for a dvd with video clips and tips on protecting yourself from fraudulent scams.

Other sites you might like to visit on this topic include:

Better Business Bureau (Canada)
Better Business Bureau (United States)
Consumers Council of Canada
Canadian Intellectual Property Office

Online Slideshows and Presentations

Do you want to create and/or share slideshows and presentations? Maybe you have PowerPoint and maybe you don’t. You’re a small business owner, so you might be interested in doing this for free. Maybe you need some fresh presentation ideas for your business. Here are a few places to help you out:

Slideshare: www.slideshare.net

• This site is sort of like YouTube for slides…tons of slideshows to search and watch!
• Once you’ve created your slideshow (i.e. in PowerPoint), upload your presentations for public or private viewing
• Add audio to create a webinar or create a slidecast (slides + mp3 mashup)
• Upload slides without creating an account
  

Slide: www.slide.com

• Create and save slideshows on slide.com and share them via email, Facebook, etc.
• You must be a member
• Upload images from your own files, Friendster, Bebo, MySpace, Slide, Photobucket, Facebook, Flickr, etc.; then add skins, themes, and music/video
• Slide.com’s products also include FunWall and SuperPoke! which are popular on sites like Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Blogger, etc.
  

Spresent: www.spresent.com

• Create Flash presentations online for FREE and share them via email or publish them on your website or blog
• According to its website, Spresent is “a free Web-based alternative to PowerPoint.”
• Create an account and you’re on your way!

Rising Exchange Rate / Strong Canadian Dollar

"Loonie Tunes"

Statistics Canada published a feature article in the March edition of the Canadian Economic Observer called “Study: Loonie Tunes: Industry Exposure to the Rising Exchange Rate”; the article was written by Z. Ghanem and P. Cross. What industry is the big winner with a strong Canadian dollar? According to the summary, it’s the construction industry. Also, the “best-positioned industries are those that use large amounts of imported inputs and sell mostly in domestic, not export, markets”.

Check out the complete March edition of the Canadian Economic Observer to review current economic conditions, February economic events, tables and charts (e.g. GDP, CPI, trade volumes, labour force stats, etc.) as well as the feature article.

Posts on the Rising Canadian Dollar and Small Business

Want to review previous posts on the rising Canadian dollar and the affects on small business? Please see:

February 5/08 post called “More on “How will a strong Canadian dollar affect small business”?"

and

November 5/07 post called “How will a strong Canadian dollar affect small business?”