How distressing it is to know that even from afar, there are people who aim to pull down others using attacks that wreck lives and sources of living.
Social media is a vast space. Almost everybody is in it. Various social networking websites are filled with numerous registered and active users. Using these have become an essential part of people’s lifestyles.
Lots of jobs are done online. Many enterprises are earning through their electronic devices. Transactions are faster and more convenient digitally. Truly, countless businesses, both big and small, are in social media as well.
Without a doubt, business owners obtain loads of advantages when they open a social media account for their products and services. Whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or any other social media platform, business is possible.
The most obvious benefit is the expansion of their brand’s reputation. Reaching potential customers is not a big problem. Sending virtual invitations to your friends and followers to support your page can be done in a couple of clicks!
You can have the option to let your brand be right in front of your would-be clients even when they are not totally looking for it. Marketing and advertising your business are made smoother and more efficient with a social media account.
Fortunately indeed, those businesses with a social media account can be one step ahead of others. On the other hand, unfortunately, there are people who just don’t want them to succeed. If you have a social media business account or when you already have one in the future, beware of opportunists whose aim is to ruin your reputation and profit.
Below is a list of 3 forms of attack which you must watch out for! Hope not, but in case your social media business account becomes a target, know how you should deal with them too.
1 – FALSE HATEFUL COMMENTS
When you see and hear positive feedback and agreeable reviews towards your firm, it is certainly heartwarming and motivating. Even constructive remarks are accepted wholly because they are helpful for you to know what to improve on. What’s dangerous, however, is the presence of false hateful comments under your business account posts.
Say you are announcing that for the new food on your menu, customers will get a 50% discount if they place an order of 3 large boxes. Surely, potential buyers will be gladly surprised and excited. They will tag their loved ones in the comments section and will share your posts to spread the word.
BUT look out for people commenting like “That’s not true,” “I ordered from their previous promo, but I got an extra charge,” “I didn’t get my discount last time!”
When you are sure that your business is performing perfectly well, these commenters will make you feel strange and angry about their statements. Check your list whether or not they were genuinely your previous buyers. If not, those accounts could be fake. They could be your competitors or hired by them to bluff about your services. Moreover, they could be just any random trickster out there.
What should you do? You may privately message them or reply to their public comments; let them know kindly what legal actions you may be urged to take if they keep trolling around your business account. Report and block them. It would help if you post a notice on your online page to clarify to both loyal patrons and prospective customers that the hateful comments they might be seeing below your posts are lies directed to taint your image. In that way, they will also be wary of those deceptive criticisms.
2 – POSERS
One of the strategies of attackers to mislead buyers and would-be purchasers is to pretend that they are a particular business. They create fake social media accounts to fool and scam people! While they are conning shoppers, they are distorting the official business’ credibility. Before you even know it, many could already be victimized by these posers using your brand name.
For big and well-known industries, the issue of having posers can be managed without much trouble since usually, most of them have verified accounts. With a blue check beside their account name, the audience will instantly recognize that it’s their legit and official page.
If you are one of these highly favored companies, don’t be totally complacent as well. Be informed that not all Internet users are fully aware of this fact, so don’t forget to remind them to only transact with your official account with a verification mark!
For small businesses, conversely, posers inflict a huge headache. What should you do if your business account becomes their prey? Make an urgent and important notification, not only for your clients but most especially for the public, that there are posers lurking around social media. Warn them, so that these posers can be immediately hampered. Ask help from your loved ones and constant buyers to report and block these dummy accounts, so the social media website can turn them down.
In case some customers get scammed, it would be nice of you to lend them a helping hand to take legal steps, so they can get back their money. If your business has experienced having posers for multiple times already, be alert because the deceivers are apparently persistent. Take legal measures as you deem fit.
3- ACCOUNT HACKING
The worst attack that social media business accounts may encounter is hacking. This is very heart wrenching and bothersome for business owners because their accounts get illegally accessed by people they do not know. This presents immense dangers for the business.
With all the ability to see and work behind your account, hackers can definitely steal confidential and sensitive data. These information could be about your business such as financial records, project documentation, contact details, trade secrets and business plans! Or these could be about your clients such as medical reports, transaction histories, payment documents and contact logs. Having these in their hands, these hackers will not hesitate to communicate with buyers, shareholders or partner organizations to defraud them — an instant and almost effortless technique to scam people.
Another horrible scheme of hackers is destroying business data by deleting or modifying them. They can corrupt and exploit linked accounts and devices. They can interfere with contract completions by invading private text messages and emails. Usernames and passcodes are thieved. If protected bank-related files are stolen, hackers can scrape off bank accounts and make unethical deals.
Never hoping it happens to you, but in case it does, move fast. Change usernames and passwords if you still can. Call those financial companies involved, so your accounts can be blocked from making purchases. If possible, hire experts to determine who the hackers are; file charges against them.
It would be best if your business owns Cyber Security Insurance. This is the type of business insurance that will help you recover from a data privacy breach, hacking and other forms of cyberattack. This pays for critical damages and monetary charges. Furthermore, this business insurance can shield you against lawsuits.
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SOCIAL MEDIA BUSINESS ATTACKS
Instead of working hard decently for themselves, some people choose to harm other quiet people’s lives by savaging their well-going businesses. It is saddening and maddening at the same time how their attacks cause tremendous problems and loss to innocent people who become victims.
Hopefully indeed, those who do these realize that their victims are doing a pleasant business because they have their needs too. And if they want to earn, they should use their abilities as well, and not to rip off others’ hard work. It’s not something anyone wishes, but if ever your business gets victimized by these kinds of assault, do not hesitate to do the right thing. Be brave and wise to fight for your right. Do not be afraid. There’s always a way to deal with them, and there are people who are willing to help.
Author Bio
Nicole Ann Pore is a content writer, an events host and a voice over artist. She believes that writing is a rewarding way for writers to explore the world and share their knowledge, experiences and hard work — and a pleasing way for readers to be informed and inspired. Nicole is Cum Laude graduate of De La Salle University Manila with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.