Fake invoices and changed bank details: call to verify

Scammers send emails that look like they're from a supplier, a client or a senior colleague, asking you to pay an invoice to a new bank account, or to change the account an existing payment goes to. Sometimes the email really does come from the supplier's address, because their mailbox has been hacked. The FBI calls this business email compromise, and it's one of the costliest scams businesses face.

Signs to look for

• A request to change bank details, often with a reason such as “our bank has changed” or “we're being audited”
• Pressure to pay today, or a request to keep it quiet
• An invoice you weren't expecting, or one that's slightly different from usual
• A sender address that's almost right, with one letter changed or a different ending

What to do

1. Don't reply to the email and don't use any phone number in it.
2. Call the person or company on a number you already have, from a previous invoice, your contacts or their website.
3. Confirm the change with someone you know there before any money moves.

Already paid? Call your bank straight away to try to stop the transfer, then call us on 707-755-8000. The faster you act, the better the chance of getting the money back.

Not sure? Forward nothing. Report the email in Outlook using Report > Report phishing, and call us.