The holidays are the most dangerous time of year for small businesses, and hackers know it.In this episode of The Business Owner’s IT Podcast, hosts Tony Gerasch and Ryan Carter break down the real-world scams targeting business owners right now, including FBI holiday warnings, phishing emails, fake government notices, credit card skimmers, and why cybercriminals intentionally “detonate” attacks during Christmas and New Year’s when companies are least prepared.If you’re a business owner or a Tech Champion who wants to protect your money, your identity, and your systems, this is an episode you cannot afford to miss.🚨 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:* Why email is still the #1 delivery method for scams.* How attackers impersonate Amazon, IRS, Social Security, and even local governments.* The truth about credit card skimmers and why swiping is no longer safe.* How gift card scams really work, and how thieves drain your balance instantly.* Why hackers wait 200+ days inside networks before launching attacks.* What to do when you receive suspicious emails, and what not to click.* How tools like Barracuda Incident Response can remove threats from every inbox in seconds.🛡️ Key Security Tips for Business Owners:✔️ Never click links in suspicious emails.✔️ Always visit websites directly to verify issues.✔️ Avoid swiping magnetic strip cards; use tap or chip only.✔️ Inspect card readers at gas stations and terminals.✔️ Pick up packages quickly to avoid porch pirates.✔️ Train your employees. Phishing is still the easiest way in.Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue; it’s a business survival strategy.🎧 Subscribe to The Business Owner’s IT Podcast for weekly insights designed to help business owners stay protected, productive, and ahead of today’s threats.#holidayscams #scam #holidaySince 1997, Unique Computing Solutions has been providing businesses with the IT support and IT solutions they need to streamline communications, boost productivity, and increase profitability. Website: https://uniquecomputingsolutions.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unique-computing-solutionsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/UniqueComputingSolutionsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@uniquecomputingsolutionsTwitter: https://twitter.com/qputingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/qputing/Twitter: https://twitter.com/qputingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/qputing/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uniquecomputingsolutionsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ysyf6NcGAXfM2Ai6T5wQdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-business-owners-it-podcast/id1768340957

In this episode of The Business Owner’s IT Podcast, hosts Anthony Gerasch and Ryan Carter break down why Apple Pay may be the most secure way for business owners to make payments today.Inspired by a conversation with a government cryptography expert, Tony and Ryan discuss how Apple Pay tokenization, device security, and tap-to-pay encryption protect you from stolen card numbers, website breaches, and skimmer attacks.Whether you’re a business owner, technology enthusiast, or one of our Tech Champions, this episode shows how Apple Pay can streamline purchasing, safeguard financial data, and reduce fraud risk.Learn how Apple Pay protects businesses using tokenized card numbers, cryptographically secure transactions, tap-to-pay NFC, and device-level identity verification. Tony and Ryan explain how Apple Pay reduces fraud risk, prevents stolen card data, simplifies checkout, and makes online purchasing safer for business owners.If you’re looking for secure business payments, reduced credit card theft risk, or a simplified technology workflow, this episode is for you.Subscribe to our channel to support business technology education and join our community of Tech Champions today!#applepay #applepaysecurity #itpodcastSince 1997, Unique Computing Solutions has been providing businesses with the IT support and IT solutions they need to streamline communications, boost productivity, and increase profitability. Website: https://uniquecomputingsolutions.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unique-computing-solutionsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/UniqueComputingSolutionsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@uniquecomputingsolutionsTwitter: https://twitter.com/qputingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/qputing/Twitter: https://twitter.com/qputingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/qputing/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uniquecomputingsolutionsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ysyf6NcGAXfM2Ai6T5wQdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-business-owners-it-podcast/id1768340957

Your remote workforce can be one of your biggest competitive advantages, or your most dangerous cybersecurity vulnerability.In this episode of The Business Owner’s IT Podcast, hosts Anthony Gerasch and Ryan Carter break down a shocking real-world case where foreign threat actors successfully infiltrated over 130 U.S. companies by posing as remote workers. Using fake identities, laptop farms, and unsecured personal devices, these attackers gained inside access to American businesses, putting sensitive data, finances, and operations at serious risk.This episode dives deep into the hidden cybersecurity risks within today’s remote workforce and explains exactly how business owners can protect themselves through:* Device ownership and lockdown policies.* Identity verification and vetting.* Multi-factor authentication (MFA).* Application control and monitoring.* Eliminating risky BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) setups.If your business relies on a remote workforce, hybrid employees, or offshore contractors, this episode is essential viewing. The Tech Champions share real-world safeguards and best practices that help ensure the person behind the keyboard is truly who they claim to be.Whether you’re a business owner, IT leader, or Tech Champion, this conversation will help you:✅ Reduce insider threats.✅ Prevent unauthorized remote access.✅ Strengthen your cybersecurity guardrails.✅ Protect your company’s data, identity, and revenue.👉 Subscribe for more cybersecurity insights for business owners👉 Watch now to secure your remote workforce before a breach secures you#remotework #remoteworkforce #cybersecuritySince 1997, Unique Computing Solutions has been providing businesses with the IT support and IT solutions they need to streamline communications, boost productivity, and increase profitability. Website: https://uniquecomputingsolutions.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unique-computing-solutionsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/UniqueComputingSolutionsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@uniquecomputingsolutionsTwitter: https://twitter.com/qputingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/qputing/Twitter: https://twitter.com/qputingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/qputing/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uniquecomputingsolutionsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ysyf6NcGAXfM2Ai6T5wQdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-business-owners-it-podcast/id1768340957