Blogs

Technology can do wonders for your business, but it can also leave you open to many types of social engineering attacks if you don’t take the necessary precautions. Is your business prepared to recognize and fend off these attacks? Let’s unpack some common social engineering scams and how to prevent yourself from becoming another statistic. You hear the horror stories all the time—people falling for different types of social engineering attacks and losing everything to some scammer. You’re confident it could never happen to you. But is your business prepared to recognize and fend off these...

Your HTLF fraud partners, Director John Fick, and Fraud Risk Manager Tracy Swaim, along with their teams, work daily to help prevent and mitigate fraud loss for our clients. Now more than ever, small businesses are at an increased risk of fraud. Due to Covid-19, inflation, and rising interest rates, some small businesses are forced to work on a skeleton crew, meaning fewer eyes looking for potential scams. Falling victim to fraud can cost your business precious resources including time and money. Learn more in our latest article about what you can do to help protect yourself and your business...

Business email compromise scams—also known as BEC scams—can do untold damage to your company and reputation. Recognizing compromised emails is the difference between safe guarding your business or becoming a victim. Learn more about BEC scams and how you can protect your business and your bottom line. Business email compromise scams—also known as BEC scams—can do untold damage to your company and reputation. According to the FBI, victims of BEC scams lost $2.4 billion in 2021, exceeding losses from ransomware attacks nearly fifty-fold! BEC scams account for a third of cybercrime losses, and...

When operating a successful business, understanding what impacts cash flow within your organization is key. Below are several areas to help monitor your cash flow, and provide guidance on how to fix issues over time. By considering the following, you will be able to respond to changes in a timely manner and properly plan for future expenses. Working Capital McKinsey & Company shares 1 that having some basics in place around working capital can release an unexpected amount of cash. “That’s everything from the discipline around how you pay your suppliers’ invoices on time—not too early, not too...

Every business owner’s story is unique, yet many will reach a point where they ask the same question – how can I help my business grow? Sometimes the answer to that question is a loan, and knowing ahead of time what lenders will look for can help you simplify the process and secure financing faster. A business loan or line of credit could enable you to take on larger projects and manage business growth, while maintaining positive cash flow. Bankers want to know your plans for financing, followed by what your aspirations are for growing your business. Bankers also consider the “Five C’s,” which...