A familiar-looking invoice or email can carry fraudulent payment instructions. Consistent verification is more reliable than trusting appearance or urgency.
Verify payment changes out of band
Confirm new bank details through a previously verified phone number, not a number supplied in the change request. Apply the same process even when the email appears to come from an executive or a long-standing supplier.
Use independent approvals
Separate payment creation and approval where practical. Define clear thresholds, document account-detail changes, and train staff to pause when requests bypass normal processes. Emergency wording should not remove verification requirements.
Protect communication accounts
Enable multifactor authentication, monitor forwarding rules, and follow your provider’s guidance for suspicious sign-ins. Keep original email headers when a compromise is suspected; a screenshot alone may omit useful routing information.
Act immediately after a suspected transfer
Call the bank’s fraud team through its official contact details and ask about recall options. Preserve the invoice, email chain, and transfer receipt. Report the incident and record deadlines; there is no guarantee funds can be stopped or returned.
General educational information, not legal or financial advice. Available remedies vary; no recovery is guaranteed.
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