The email looks real. The bank details are not.

Your regular supplier sends an email.

“Please use our new bank account for all future payments.”

The logo looks right. The invoice looks right. The email conversation looks familiar.

But the bank details have changed.

Do not pay yet.

A criminal may have impersonated the supplier or gained access to a genuine email account. This type of fraud is commonly called Business Email Compromise.

The most dangerous word in a payment request is often “urgent.”

When payment details change:

Stop the transaction.

Then contact the supplier using a telephone number already stored in your records or another trusted source. Do not use the number provided in the suspicious email.

For organisations, changes to supplier bank details should also go through the organisation’s normal verification and approval process.

Be especially cautious when someone asks for secrecy, immediate payment or an unusual transfer.

A genuine supplier should not object to you verifying a payment request.

Think first. Click safe.

Before money leaves your account, verify where it is going.

One phone call can prevent a very expensive mistake.