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1. BBB received a report from a local consumer of an elaborate employment scam on Facebook that cost the consumer over $5,000.BBB warns consumers to be wary of any online job opportunity that appears too good to be true, and that requires the consumer to pay money in order to receive money.

2. A consumer searching online for used car parts was scammed out of $195 and never received the ordered item. BBB warns consumers to always check business profiles at bbb.org before buying.

3. A consumer reported a fake family emergency call to BBB. The consumer was contacted by a scammer claiming to be his son calling from the scene of an auto accident. The consumer then spoke with an “attorney” claiming to represent his son who was also a scammer. BBB warns consumers to never send money over the phone. If you receive a call regarding a family emergency that sounds suspicious, hang up and contact the individual directly to verify.

4. BBB warns consumers to be on the lookout for medical bill scams. If you receive a bill, verify the claim first, look up the customer service number listed on the bill and make sure it’s registered with an official business, don’t give in to scare tactics, and guard your personal information.

5. BBB warns consumers to be on the lookout for customer service imposters. Red flags include “representatives” who don’t know any details about your account, who ask for information not needed to handle your issue (such as your Social Security Number), or who say you need to pay money to resolve your issue. Never allow anyone remote access to your device, and always contact a company directly if you need to speak to their customer service department.

6. BBB received a report of a Geek Squad invoice scam from a consumer. Invoice scams attempt to scare consumers into thinking they have been charged a large amount for a service or item they did not purchase; when the consumer calls the number on the fake invoice, a scammer then attempts to steal their personal or financial information. If you receive a suspicious invoice, do not call the number listed. Check your bank account or credit card statement for any unknown charges.

7. Scam Publisher’s Clearing House phone calls are on the rise again in BBB’s service area. As a reminder, the real Publisher’s Clearing House only contacts winners by mail, not by phone or text. Any “sweepstakes” that claims you need to pay money upfront to claim your winnings is very likely a scam.

8. BBB warns consumers of a phishing scam that claims a process server is looking for you. The scam starts with an intimidating phone call saying a debt collector needs immediate payment or a police officer has a warrant for your arrest. Don’t engage with these phone calls and don’t give out personal or financial information. If you think there’s a chance someone has filed a lawsuit against you, check your local court’s website.

9. Multiple consumers have reported online shopping scams to BBB this month, wherein the victims never receive the ordered item or any kind of refund for a missing item. BBB reminds consumers to research companies first at bbb.org before ordering online, and to always pay by credit card in case you need to dispute a charge.

10. As we enter summer vacation season, BBB warns consumers to beware of online hotel booking scams. Only book hotels through official websites, research any hotel or business you aren’t familiar with, and pay with a credit card.

The past year has seen no shortage of changes in employment law policies. For instance, the latest decisions impacting the legality of employee handbook policies, severance agreements and timelines for union representation elections are sure to shake up the business world.

The Indiana Chamber is helping employers navigate these changes with the recently released 19^th edition of its popular Employment Law Handbook. Authored by attorneys at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, this is the most current, comprehensive and user-friendly handbook covering Indiana and federal employment laws.

It's designed to assist the business community in its effort to comply with the numerous and often complex employment laws affecting Hoosier businesses.

“Our new Employment Law Handbook provides employers direction and guidance on compliance with both federal and Indiana-specific regulations,” says Vanessa Green Sinders, Indiana Chamber President and CEO. “Hundreds of human resources professionals use this convenient resource to tackle labor law challenges, answer compliance questions and keep their organizations moving forward.”

In addition to the aforementioned updates, this brand new version contains information on the National Labor Relations Board’s new regulations on joint employment, new workers’ compensation impairment amounts required for temporary total disability, permanent partial disability and maximum impairment, changes to independent contractor standards, an update on the Internal Revenue Service’s tax-sheltered annuity plan determination letter schedules, up-to-date guidance on immigration-related fines and discussions on the Supreme Court’s new affirmative action-related decisions.

The book, available at www.indianachamber.com/publications, is available for $134.25 for Indiana Chamber members ($179 for non-members) and the ePub can be purchased for $109.

Every year since 1963, U.S. presidents have issued a Small Business Week proclamation to recognize the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners.

The theme of Small Business Week 2024, which runs from April 28 – May 4, is “Building on the Small Business Boom.”

A small business is one with fewer than 500 employees, according to the Small Business Administration. The Census Bureau’s Business Dynamics Statistics indicate there were 5,358,600 such firms in 2021, up from 5,322,155 in 2020.

According to County Business Patterns, 56.6% of all U.S. employer establishments in 2021 (the latest year for which these statistics are available) had fewer than five employees, up from 55% in 2020.

In addition to small employer businesses, there are many self-employed entrepreneurs with no paid employees who run small businesses and contribute to the economy.

According to Nonemployer Statistics (NES), there were 28,477,518 businesses with no paid employees in 2021. These nonemployer businesses operated in various sectors of the economy such as retail, manufacturing and services.

Women-Owned Businesses

There were 1,275,523 women-owned employer firms in the United States, according to the 2022 Annual Business Survey, which covers the reference year of 2021.

Of those women-owned employer firms, 14,573 were owned by female veterans and 353,636 by minority women. Minority-owned refers to businesses with owners who are any race and ethnicity combination other than non-Hispanic and White.

Local resident John Hawkins was named an American Institute of Architects (AIA) fellow in 2024. This is one of the highest honors that an architect can receive, and he was the only fellow named from Indiana in 2024. Very few architects receive this honor.

John resides in Fredericksburg, Ind., from Salem, and is a graduate of Salem High School. He has worked on many notable projects in Washington County including Salem Middle and High School FEMA safe rooms, Washington County Family YMCA, Salem Library additions & renovations, John Jones Auto Group and many more.

John has also completed architectural design work in many other south-central Indiana communities with projects that include the Bedford Library renovations, the Palmyra Fire Station, Scott County Heritage Center and Museum, Springs Valley Schools and more.

Indiana needs broadband to the last acre

By: Randy Kron, president of Indiana Farm Bureau

Rural broadband access is essential to the farms that grow our food, farm families and the quality of life for rural Hoosiers.

According to the 2022 Ag Census, 28% of farms in Indiana don’t have reliable broadband. Technology and connectivity are more important today than ever before in precision agriculture, for remote work, telehealth and education.

We wanted broadband for years in rural Vanderburgh County where my family farms. Remote work was challenging, and even hindered my ability to do my job as the president of Indiana Farm Bureau, the largest general ag organization in the state. I tried to get a few different companies on board to expand access in our area, but no one would commit.

Finally, our county council and county commissioners decided to set aside some of the American Rescue Plan Act money for broadband. The council received several proposals, but ultimately AT&T said they could provide fiber to the whole county in two years.

Since the project’s completion in November 2023, our broadband connection in Vanderburgh County has improved dramatically and changed the way we work. Now that we’ve seen success in our county, I know it can be replicated in the rest of the 91 counties in the state.

In 2021, INFB partnered with the Indiana Broadband Strategic Partnership to sponsor the Indiana Speed Test. Many of our members took the test and the data collected was used by local groups to plan projects and to advise the Office of Community and Rural Affairs about potential grants for areas most in need.

Now, the Indiana Broadband Office has $868 million in federal funding to distribute to eligible projects in Indiana with the goal of reaching every unserved or underserved address. Those locations need to be identified with new speed tests. That’s a huge amount of money that could help us get broadband closer to the last acre. But we need people to take this new speed test on www.connectingIndiana.com by April 17, 2024.

If you live in an area that could use better internet access, review your address on www.connectingindiana.com. If your address is labeled as “served” and you don’t believe you have access to 100/20 Mbps service, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so they can connect you with a local group to submit a challenge on your behalf. The Purdue Center for Regional Development also has a new tool on their website that provides step-by-step instructions on submitting documentation.

Once the challenge process is over and the addresses are finalized, providers can begin submitting bids for specific projects.

It’s incredible how broadband access can impact a community. I’m so grateful for what we now have in Vanderburgh County because I’ve been on the other side when I couldn’t connect to anything. We have an opportunity here to make our rural communities throughout Indiana more viable. We just have to seize the moment and take advantage of it. That moment is now!