Small business owners are being urged by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, to be on high alert to the rising number of criminals who may try to impersonate their business or a government agency such as the Australian Taxation Office.
Mr Billson said Scam Awareness Week was an ideal time for small business owners to take a few extra moments to check they have appropriate safeguards in place to avoid falling victim.
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney.
Radio 2CC Canberra
24 November 2023
Leon Delaney
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Tom Connell.
Sky News
24 November 2023
Tom Connell
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has welcomed the significant commitment announced today by the banking industry to better support small businesses to combat scams.
Mr Billson said a $100 million upgrade across the banking sector to confirm who money is being paid to by matching names with account numbers will particularly benefit small businesses who too often fall victim to the invoice substitution scam.
Originally published in The Daily Telegraph
By Bruce Billson
The new Optus leadership needs to demonstrate it truly understands the economic pain the recent outage has inflicted on some small and family businesses.
Our hardworking small and family businesses deserve respect and not to be treated in such a shabby way as they have been by Optus.
Telecommunications companies talk a big game about how their services are so important for the vitality of small business when they're trying to sign them up as customers.
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Oly Peterson.
6PR Perth
20 November 2023
Oly Peterson
New support announced today by the Australian Government to help small businesses combat cyber attacks is extremely welcome, says the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson.
“One of the biggest fears a small business has is that they will be targeted and wiped out by a cyber attack and we are pleased our strong advocacy for greater sector-wide support has been heard,” Mr Billson said.
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Leon Delaney.
Radio 2CC Canberra
10 November 2023
Leon Delaney
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, good afternoon.
Bruce Billson
Leon, fab to be with you and the Capital listeners of 2CC.
Telecommunications is an essential service and vital for so many small businesses and the absence of this service has a significant economic cost, says the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson.
“The response by Optus is inadequate and not sufficiently dealt with by an offer of extra data,” Mr Billson said.
“Small businesses rely on telecommunications as an essential service, but they have been poorly served by Optus throughout this event and some have suffered a significant economic cost.
Originally published in The Daily Telegraph.