Did you know you can find lots of fraud prevention resources from the Better Business Bureau? In this episode, Troy Baker from the Michigan Better Business Bureau talks about fraud, using the BBB for validations and what we both think is the best thing to do that will keep your company protected from fraud.

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Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• Better Business Bureau Links:
  • Main Webpage: https://www.bbb.org
  • Scam Tracker: https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker
  • Scam News/Tips: https://www.bbb.org/all/scamtips
  • Sign-Up for Scam Alerts: https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1900156/1902645/
  • Michigan Better Business Bureau: https://www.bbb.org/miprograms
  • Validate Charities: https://www.give.org
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com

Is your vendor master file and customer master file the same? Don’t miss taking advantage of these key benefits when they are one in the same. What are they?

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Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• Customer Master File Training (50% off Through 6/15/25): 3 Step Customer Setup & Maintenance Process Workshop
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com

Of course – the IRS has updated the 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC again effective for reporting Tax Year 2025 payments to your vendors. It’s not that bad though….

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Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• Training: From an Accounts Payable Perspective: Year-End Checklist for 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC and 1042-S Reporting
• IRS: Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC (Rev. April 2025)
• IRS: Form 1099-MISC (Rev. April 2025) https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1099msc.pdf
• IRS: Form 1099-NEC (Rev. April 2025) https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1099nec.pdf
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com

World Password Day is the 1st Thursday in May every year. For the ultimate and not surprising advice this year from the National Cybersecurity Alliance….

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Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• National Cybersecurity Alliance: Create and Use Strong Passwords
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com

Invoice automation is great for invoice processing and even has artificial intelligence tools that can help spot attempted fraud – but it’s really the vendor setup and maintenance process that will save you from making fraudulent electronic and check payments.

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Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• Training: The BANK of AP: An Internal Control System to Combat Business Email Compromise
• Training: AVM 3 Step Vendor Setup & Maintenance process Workshop
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com

Vendor team members need to be vigilant when collecting and confirming bank account information. Now, some vendors are doing the same. If you want to hear what tactics the vendors are using to secure their banking information and how it benefits vendor teams….

Keep listening.

Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• Authentication Training (Free): AVM 3 Step Vendor Setup & Maintenance process Workshop
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com

If you perform a web search and use the results to find your vendor contact information or to confirm their information – you might want to hear what the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns against. Plus what you can do instead.

Keep listening.

Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• FTC Article: Online search results: The good, the bad, and the scammy
• AVM Toolkit – Internal Vendor Request Form
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com

Fraudsters are using snail mail to deliver scams – watch out for this one reported by the US Postal Inspection Service.

Keep listening.

Check out my website www.debrarrichardson.com if you need help implementing authentication techniques, internal controls, and best practices to prevent fraudulent payments, regulatory fines or bad vendor data. Check out the Vendor Process Training Center for 116+ hours of weekly live and on-demand training for the Vendor team.

Links mentioned in the podcast + other helpful resources:

• New Scam Alert: Ransomware Scam Letters
• Training: Frauds and New Scam Alerts + How To Prevent Them
• On-Demand Webinar: Vendor Validations Recommended for Compliance - Manual vs Automated https://training.debrarrichardson.com/course/june2024-2
• Customized Vendor Validations Session: https://debrarrichardson.com/vendor-validation-session
• Vendor Process Training Center - https://training.debrarrichardson.com
• Customized Fraud Training: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/customized-fraud-training
• Free Live and On-Demand Webinars: https://training.debrarrichardson.com/webinars
• Vendor Master File Clean-Up: https://www.debrarrichardson.com/cleanup
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeoffeQu3pSXMV8fUIGNiw
• More Podcasts/Blogs/Webinars www.debrarrichardson.com
• More ideas? Email me at debra@debrarrichardson.com
• Music Credit: www.purple-planet.com