Invoice scams

Find out how to avoid invoice scams when you use your business account.

Invoice scams

Fraudsters can target a business of any size with an invoice scam.

They pretend to be someone your firm knows, like a supplier or client, and either:

  • change their bank account details, or
  • send a fake invoice.

To get in touch, fraudsters can use all kinds of methods, from letters to phone calls. But their favourite is to send an email that’s a copy of a genuine message.

  • Double-check any changes

    If a business you pay changes their payment details or sends an invoice out of the blue, call them back to double-check. Call your single point of contact (SPOC) if you have one. Or use a number you trust, not one from an email or invoice.
    Fraudsters are hoping that you pay without checking. If this happens, it’s very hard to get the money back.

    Set up a SPOC

    A SPOC is a person or team you can talk to at another firm who can confirm an invoice or changes to details.
    If your business sets one up, it will make it easier to double-check things and help to avoid invoice scams.

  • Train your staff

    Make sure your staff know about this type of fraud and how to avoid it.

    Clearly write down a system that covers how to deal with invoices and changes to details.

    Keep this document close at hand so it’s easy to find and follow.

  • That’s wrong!

     

    You should always double check by calling your single point of contact (SPOC) if you have one. Or use a number you trust, not one from an email or invoice.

    That’s right!

     

    Fraudsters are hoping that you pay without checking. If this happens, it’s very hard to get the money back.

    That’s wrong!

     

    You should always check by using a number you trust and never one from an email or invoice.

    That’s right!

     

    A fraudster can email you their number. They want you to call them instead of a real company.

    That's wrong!

     

    We’ll never get in touch and ask you to move money to another account. Only a fraudster would do this. If you get a message like this, don’t reply. Use our top tips for spotting a scam message.

    That’s right!

     

    We’d never message and ask you to move money to another account – not even to secure an account.

How to spot a fake email

If you get an email from us, there are many ways to tell if it's real or not. 

We will:

  • Always greet you by name - As in Mrs Smith.
  • Always include part of your main account number - Or part of your postcode if you don't have an account number yet.
  • Always write to you in a reasonable and calm way - To try to trick you, scam messages may use warnings, threats of fraud or problems with your business account. 
  • Sometimes send you links to our secure app - To take you straight to the information you need.

We’ll never send a message that:

  • Asks for your banking or personal details.
  • Asks you to move money to another account or to make a test payment online. 
  • Links directly to our Internet Banking logon web page. Or a web page that asks for your security or personal details.

Lloyds Bank will never ask you to:

  • Share account details like user ID, password and memorable information.
  • Tell us the security number for Telephone Banking.
  • Tell us the PIN code or expiry date of your business bank card.
  • Move money to another account

Previous topic

Real life examples

Next topic

Scam calls