Any small business owner can attest to the blood, sweat and tears that they invest into getting their business off the ground and then keeping it afloat.

The Lazars, a couple from Asbury Park, were no exception. And just when they were on the cusp of realizing their dreams, it all came crashing down around them.

In their tale of business woe, the Lazars related how they hired a web developer with high approval ratings to update the website for their specialty gift shop. Shortly before they were to launch their new site in advance of the busy holiday season, they discovered they’d been scammed. The developer had hacked into their site, stolen their domain name, and created a nefarious site in its place. He took over their email lists, social media presence and basically decimated their business. He faked ownership of their site so they couldn’t get it back through legal channels.

Utterly devastated, out not only the money they had paid for the developer-turned-hacker’s service, but also the entire online presence they had worked so hard to build, Jenna and Robert Lazar began recreating their business from scratch. They changed their business name and built a new brand. They now share their story as a cautionary tale to other business owners, as well as individuals, to be extra vigilant and proactive against online security threats.

The Lazars are not alone. Cyber-attacks are constantly on the rise. Many small businesses have been wiped out due to one small error, and even private individuals have had their finances deeply affected due to careless security errors. Hackers and scammers grow smarter and more insidious, and it is getting harder and harder to stay safe online.

How can you make sure you are not the next victim of an unfortunate attack or security breach?

Let the experts tell you how. Chesed of Lakewood, as part of their business training courses, will be offering a special course with Avrohom D. Munk, IT Expert and owner of Advanced Networking Group. The two-hour comprehensive course on Technology: Best Practices will cover the gamut of insider tips and expert advice to make sure you are staying safe in today’s climate of increased cyber threats.

The course will take place this Wednesday, February 6th and is free of charge, as a service to the community. The course is currently being offered to men only.

For more information or to register for this course, or for any other Chesed of Lakewood business courses, go to www.coltrainings.com or email [email protected].

Don’t suffer like the Lazars did! Protect yourself, your family and your business by making sure you are up to date on technology best practices.