Issue 07 · July 11, 2026 · 6 min read

Scam-proof your books. Set up QuickBooks in an afternoon.

This month: the Federal Trade Commission's playbook for the scams targeting small businesses — and a faster, cleaner path to getting QuickBooks Online running right. Ten minutes of reading that can save you ten thousand dollars and a weekend of cleanup.

Fraud Defense QuickBooks Online For Busy Owners
From the Editor

If you run a small business, you are a target. Not because you did anything wrong — but because scammers know owners are stretched thin, move fast, and often handle payments personally. The same instinct that makes you a good operator (decisiveness, trust in your team, quick approvals) is exactly what fraudsters exploit.

The good news: the defenses are not complicated, and neither is a clean QuickBooks setup. This month's issue pairs the FTC's small business scam guide with Intuit's QuickBooks Online getting-started tutorials. Read the fraud half this morning, set up QuickBooks after lunch.

Part One · The Threat

The scams aimed at your business

The FTC identifies a handful of tactics scammers return to again and again. The common thread: they pretend to be someone you trust, manufacture urgency so you act before you verify, and pressure you to pay in ways that are hard to reverse — wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.

Fake invoices & unordered merchandise

Phony invoices arrive that look like real orders. A scammer may call to "confirm" an existing order or "verify" your address, then send unordered goods with high-pressure demands to pay.

Key takeaway: Don't pay. Under federal law, merchandise you didn't order is yours to keep and use for free.

Online listing & advertising scams

You're asked to pay for nonexistent advertising or a phony directory listing. The caller offers a "free" listing to collect your details, then later sends a big bill and uses a recording of the call to pressure payment.

Key takeaway: Don't pay for the fake listing — and don't "confirm" information on an unsolicited call.

Business & government impersonation

A "utility company" threatens to cut service over a fake late bill, or a "government agent" threatens fines, license suspension, or lawsuits unless you pay immediately for posters, grants, or compliance.

Key takeaway: Real agencies and utilities don't demand instant wire or gift-card payment. Don't pay based on a threat.

Tech support & ransomware

A call or alarming pop-up claims your computer is compromised. The scammer offers to "fix" a problem you don't have, or installs malware that locks your files and demands ransom.

Key takeaway: Don't trust the message, don't give remote access, and never send passwords or bank info by email.

Credit card processing & equipment leasing

Scammers promise lower processing rates or better equipment leases, then use fine print, half-truths, and altered terms. Some ask owners to sign blank documents or refuse to hand over copies.

Key takeaway: Ask for copies of every document on the spot. Never sign blank paperwork.

Business coaching & fake-check scams

Bogus coaching programs promise "proven systems" and escalate from a small fee to thousands. In fake-check scams, a buyer overpays by check and asks you to refund the difference before the check bounces.

Key takeaway: Be wary of guaranteed results and escalating demands — and never refund money based on a check that may be fake.

Part Two · The Defense

Build a fraud-resistant business

The FTC's core message is simple: an informed workforce is your best defense. You don't need expensive software — you need clear procedures and a team that knows the warning signs.

  1. 1

    Train your team — and make it normal to question

    Tell staff never to send passwords or sensitive data by email, even if the message appears to come from a manager. Explain how scams work and make it explicitly okay to pause and check with a coworker before acting. Urgency is the scammer's favorite weapon; "let me verify" is yours.

  2. 2

    Verify every invoice and payment

    Set clear procedures for approving purchases and invoices. Have staff scrutinize invoices closely and pay attention to how someone asks to be paid. If a payment demand involves a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards, treat it as a red flag and don't pay.

  3. 3

    Don't trust caller ID or surprise links

    Caller ID can be spoofed. If you get an unexpected text or email, don't click links, open attachments, or download files. Scammers hack social media accounts of people you know, so a familiar name doesn't make a message safe.

  4. 4

    Know who you're dealing with

    Before doing business with a new company, search its name online alongside "scam" or "complaint." Ask people you trust for recommendations. Free business counseling is available through SCORE.org, and the FTC offers resources at ftc.gov/SmallBusiness.

  5. 5

    Report it — fast

    Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and alert your state Attorney General (contact info at NAAG.org). Reporting protects other businesses and can help recover funds.

Part Three · The Books

QuickBooks Online, set up the right way

Intuit's getting-started tutorial series walks new users through the essentials in short videos. Follow this order and you'll have a clean foundation — which also makes fraud easier to spot, because every transaction lands where it should.

The setup sequence

  1. Take the tour. The "Get started in QuickBooks Online" video (under 4 minutes) shows the layout and what to do first.
  2. Configure company settings. Business name, address, fiscal year, and contact info — the foundation everything else references.
  3. Set up sales settings. Turn on invoices, estimates, and payment options so customers can pay you faster.
  4. Set up expense settings. Define how bills, purchases, and purchase orders are tracked.
  5. Customize sales forms. Add your logo and branding to invoices and receipts so customers recognize — and trust — your documents.
  6. Set advanced settings. Accounting method, closing the books, and user permissions that prevent unauthorized changes.
  7. Use custom fields. Track the details unique to your business (job numbers, project codes, class tracking).
  8. Build your chart of accounts. Understand how the chart of accounts works, then add the accounts your business actually needs.

Part Four · This Month

Your monthly action checklist

  • Brief your team on the three payment red flags: wire, crypto, gift cards.
  • Write a one-page invoice-approval procedure and share it.
  • Search "your vendor + scam" before paying a new or unfamiliar bill.
  • Finish QuickBooks company, sales, and expense settings if you haven't.
  • Connect your business bank and credit card feeds.
  • Set one bank rule for a recurring monthly expense.
  • Bookmark ReportFraud.ftc.gov so you're ready if something slips through.

Until next month

Defense is a habit, not a project.

Pick three items from the checklist above and do them before month-end. A clean set of books and a team that knows the warning signs are the two cheapest fraud controls you'll ever install. See you next month with more fraud alerts and QuickBooks power moves.

Read the FTC scam guide QuickBooks getting started

A friendly invitation

Let's find the cracks before the scammers do.

Reading a newsletter is a great start — but a 30-minute conversation can find the specific gaps in your business. In a free, no-pressure business review we'll look at how invoices get approved, who has access to your books, and where your setup is quietly leaking money or inviting fraud. You'll leave with a short, prioritized action list — whether or not we ever work together again.

  • 30 minutes, on us — no cost, no obligation
  • A practical, prioritized fraud-defense action list
  • QuickBooks setup gaps flagged on the spot
Schedule your free review Just reply to this email or click above — we'll find a time that fits your calendar.