Each year, businesses lose money from telephone scams that cost them hundreds of dollars. Scammers will use any technique to steal money. Some have a friendly demeanor and begin by asking for your help, while others are demanding and threaten consequences if their demands are not met. It is important to have a conversation with all employees about these types of calls so everyone is prepared to handle them appropriately.

Neither CHS nor any of our vendor partners would ask to activate a gift card over the phone. If this happens, transfer the call to a manager to handle and do not complete the requested transaction. In addition, all operational procedures take place during regular business hours and any exception to this practice would be coordinated with store management and communicated well in advance to avoid confusion and suspicion. Here are some other things to keep in mind.

What to look for:

• The caller begins talking quickly and doesn’t ask for management
• The call is received outside the normal corporate business hours of 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• The call originates from an unknown or blocked phone number
• The caller makes threats about losing your job unless immediate action is taken

How to handle a potential call:

• Never give out secure information over the phone, this includes gift card numbers and PINs
• Don’t do anything in your store based on a phone conversation without management approval
• If they state they are with CHS or a vendor partner and you are not expecting a call, please hang up and call CHS Payment Solutions at (800) 852-5301 to verify

These are just a few things you can do to stay safe and avoid telephone scams. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us at 800-852-5301.