A fake invoice or a change to payment details
How criminals trick businesses into paying the wrong account.
One of the costliest scams against small businesses is a message that looks like it is from a supplier, saying their bank details have changed. The next payment goes to a criminal.
Red flags
- A new bank account, routing number or payment address.
- An urgent request to pay today.
- An email address that is close to the real one, but not identical.
- A sender who cannot talk by phone.
How to check
- Pause before paying.
- Call the supplier on a phone number you already have, not one from the message.
- Ask them to confirm the change out loud.
- Have a second person at your business approve any change to payment details.
Good to know
If money has already been sent, call your bank right now and ask for a recall. Then call or text us. The faster you act, the better the chance of getting it back.