Scam artists can pose as legitimate investors or funding providers and target entrepreneurs looking for capital. Funded.com works to prevent suspicious activity, but every member should know the warning signs and protect themselves during funding conversations.
Report Suspicious ActivityThis is the number one warning sign. Although there may be legitimate investors who ask for certain costs upfront, most investors do not require this. Funded.com does not allow investors or funding providers to request money or fees from members. A good practice is to make this clear at the beginning of any engagement.
If anyone asks for payment under another name, such as appraisal, travel, processing, or due diligence costs, avoid the request and report it. The safest rule is simple: do not wire funds to an investor or funding provider.
Always check out an investor or funding provider, regardless of their profile information or online presence. Services such as verifyinvestor.com may help you check investor credentials and guard against unaccredited investors. A face to face meeting is preferred whenever possible.
If you receive an email demanding a ransom or telling you to click a link from an unknown source, do not reply, click the link, or pay anything. These messages are often phishing scams and may use scare tactics to pressure you into paying bitcoin or sharing private information.
Some emails may pretend to come from a company, bank, or even Funded.com to make you believe there is a security issue. This is called spoofing. Funded.com sends secure links only when requested.
If you believe your account has been compromised, run a virus and malware check, contact your internet service provider if needed, and change any passwords that may be affected. It is best not to reuse the same password across accounts.
Funded.com takes security seriously and uses firewall and security measures on its servers. Funded.com does not store sensitive data such as credit card information, Social Security numbers, or dates of birth. Visit the Privacy Policy for more information.
If someone asks for upfront fees, requests a wire transfer, sends a suspicious email, or claims to represent Funded.com in a questionable way, report it through the contact page so the issue can be reviewed.
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