Is This Email Legitimate? How to Spot Payment Fraud

You've received an urgent email asking you to pay an invoice to new bank details, transfer money quickly, or change a supplier's payment information. Something feels off. Trust that instinct - this could be Business Email Compromise (BEC), one of the most costly frauds affecting UK businesses.

Need Help Training Your Team?Call 01584 517 234

Does This Sound Familiar?

Common signs you're experiencing this issue

Urgent request to change payment details
Email from boss/CEO asking for immediate wire transfer
Supplier notifying you of 'new bank account'
Slightly different email address than usual contact
Pressure to act quickly and not discuss with others

What's Causing This?

Understanding the root causes helps find the right solution

Compromised Email

The sender's actual email account was hacked, making messages appear genuine.

Spoofed Address

The email address looks right at first glance but has subtle differences (rn instead of m, etc).

Invoice Interception

Criminals intercepted a real invoice and changed the payment details.

Social Engineering

Attackers research your company and impersonate known contacts convincingly.

How We Can Help

Practical solutions to resolve your issues

Verify by Phone

Call the person on a known number - never use contact details from the suspicious email.

Check Email Address

Look carefully at the full email address - criminals use similar-looking domains.

Question Urgency

Legitimate requests can wait for verification. Fraudsters create false urgency.

Establish Process

Have a standard verification process for all payment detail changes.

If You Haven't Paid Yet - STOP and Verify:

Pick up the phone - Call the person who supposedly sent the email. Use a phone number you already have or look up independently - never use contact details from the suspicious email.

2. Look at the email address carefully - Not just the display name, but the actual email address. Criminals use tricks like:
- @company-accounts.com instead of @company.com
- @cornpany.com instead of @company.com (that's 'rn' not 'm')
- @company.co instead of @company.com

Question the urgency - Real suppliers don't mind you taking a day to verify bank details. Criminals need you to act before you think.

If You've Already Paid - Act Immediately:

Contact your bank NOW - Call them immediately. If the money hasn't cleared, they may be able to stop or reverse it. Every minute matters.

Report to Action Fraud - 0300 123 2040 or actionfraud.police.uk. Get a crime reference number.

Document everything - Screenshot the fraudulent email, note the time of payment, keep all communication.

Inform the impersonated party - Let the real supplier/person know their email may be compromised or being impersonated.

Red Flags to Watch:
- Unexpected changes to bank details
- Email addresses that look similar but aren't quite right
- Urgency and pressure to pay immediately
- Requests to keep the transaction confidential
- Poor grammar or unusual phrasing (though sophisticated attacks won't have this)
- New supplier contact asking to confirm payment details

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this issue

How do criminals know about our suppliers?

Often from hacking either your email or your supplier's email. They monitor conversations, wait for an invoice, then intercept with changed bank details. LinkedIn and company websites also reveal business relationships.

Can we get the money back?

Sometimes, if you act within hours. After money reaches the criminal's account, it's usually moved immediately and becomes unrecoverable. Speed is everything.

How do we prevent this?

Implement a strict verification process: all bank detail changes must be verified by phone call to a known number. No exceptions, no matter how urgent the request seems.

Should we pay suppliers differently?

Consider setting up payments to verified supplier accounts in your banking system rather than paying from emailed details each time. Once verified, use the stored details.

What if the fraudster compromised our supplier's actual email?

Phone verification still works - the criminal can't intercept your phone call. Always verify changes through a different channel than the request came through.

Ready to Fix This?

Let's get your IT working properly

Need Help Training Your Team?View Pricing

Trusted By Local Heroes

Don't just take our word for it.

"Well all I can say is a big shout out to Sam James BSc at Fresh Tech for literally swooping into rescue🦸‍♂️ my computer from being hacked within seconds. Thank goodness I outsource to companies who know what they are doing."

Carole Aveson

CAA Administration Services

"Fresh Tech's proactive approach has been particularly beneficial for Pearce Cycles. Not only do they resolve our current issues efficiently, but they also anticipate potential problems before they arise."

Lindsey Pearce

Pearce Cycles

"Fresh Tech built our entire network from scratch and now maintain it flawlessly. When our server failed unexpectedly, they had us back online within 2 hours. That kind of response saves us thousands in lost productivity."

Stephen Jaques

Jaques Int

"We have been working with Sam and the Fresh Tech team for over 5 years. The response time and service we receive is excellent. Sam is always willing to give unbiased advice and is extremely knowledgeable!"

Helen Graham

The Ludlow Nut Company

"In healthcare, downtime isn't an option. Fresh Tech ensures our care management systems run 24/7. We've had zero unplanned outages since switching to them. That reliability is priceless when you're caring for vulnerable people."

Vince Burmingham

Hendra Healthcare

"From day one, the team at Fresh Tech has been consistently reliable and responsive. They are always just a call or email away, ready to tackle any IT issue we encounter."

Julia Hughes

Working Solutions

"As a small business, I can't afford to wait hours for IT help while I'm supposed to be with clients. Fresh Tech typically responds in under 15 minutes. It's like having my own IT department, but at a fraction of the cost."

Iain Urquhart

Advanced Pest Management

"We wholeheartedly recommend Fresh Tech to any business looking for reliable, expert, and friendly IT support. Their service has not just been a support function but a key driver in our success."

Rupert Williams

Shropshire Lettings

Powering Businesses Like