07/18/2026
Attention, fellow small-business owners: there’s a scam going around that you need to know about.
As many of you know, I’m still fairly new to running a business and working hard to grow it in a difficult economy. Summer events have been slow, opportunities have been limited, and building an online customer base takes time.
Yesterday, while I was working at my full-time job, I received a text from someone wanting to place a large order for 24 bags of freeze-dried candy. I was genuinely excited. I immediately started thinking about how the profit could help restock supplies and pay for upcoming vendor events.
Unfortunately, the order was a scam.
The person claimed they had sent payment through Zelle, but that the money was “on hold” until I upgraded my account. The wording felt suspicious because I have used Zelle before and knew that was not how it worked. My hospital’s annual phishing-scam training kicked in, so I checked the email supposedly sent by “Zelle.” It had actually come from a Gmail address.
Thankfully, I trusted my instincts and caught the scam before losing any money.
Please be cautious with unusually large orders, fake payment confirmations, and anyone claiming you must pay or “upgrade” an account before receiving your funds. Always check the sender’s actual email address and verify payments directly through your banking app.
Scammers know how meaningful a large sale can feel to a struggling small-business owner, and they use that excitement to lower your guard. Pause, verify, and trust your instincts.
