Invoice scams

Understanding supplier and client scams

Fraudsters can pretend to be someone your business knows, like a supplier or client, to send either:

  • a message that their bank account details have changed, or
  • a fake invoice.

Their goal is to get a payment, or future payments sent to an account they own.

We explain how this scam works and what your business can do to avoid it.

Understanding supplier and client scams

Fraudsters can pretend to be someone your business knows, like a supplier or client, to send either:

  • a message that their bank account details have changed, or
  • a fake invoice.

Their goal is to get a payment, or future payments sent to an account they own.

We explain how this scam works and what your business can do to avoid it.

Tips to beat invoice scams

  • Fraudsters can target any kind of business. They do lots of research to help them pretend to be someone trustworthy, and to find the best time to try the scam.

    How do they get in touch?

    • Fraudsters can use all kinds of methods to contact your business, from letters on headed note paper to phone calls.
    • Their favourite method is to send an email that’s a copy of a genuine message. They can even hack into an email account of a person or business you know to reply to an earlier chain of messages.

    What do fraudsters send?

    • An invoice scam message will be about a payment. It may change payment details to a new account or attach an invoice with new payment details.
    • If you pay without checking, the money will go to a fraudster’s account. 
    • It’s very hard for your business to recover money that’s lost this way.

  • Fraudsters can copy genuine emails and amend details and attachments like invoices. To avoid this scam, make sure your business follows these rules.

    Confirm payment details

    • Always call the person or business you want to pay to make sure you’ve got the right name, account number and sort code. 
    • Never use a phone number from an email or invoice, as fraudsters can add their own number.
    • When you pay online, we’ll check the name matches the account number. Discover how we check bank account details

    Double-check any changes

    • If a person or business you pay changes their payment details or sends a new invoice, call them to double-check.
    • Call your single point of contact (SPOC) if you have one. Always use a phone 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 for your business to get the money back.

    Set up a SPOC

    • A SPOC is a person or team you trust at another business you pay. You can talk to them and can confirm an invoice or change of details.
    • Having a SPOC makes it easier to double-check things and can help to avoid invoice scams.

    Train your colleagues

    • Make sure everyone at work knows about invoice scams and how to avoid them.
    • Clearly write down a method that covers how to deal with invoices and changes to payments or other details.
    • Keep this document close at hand so it’s easy to find and follow. Share it with your team and make sure colleagues always follow the process.
    • Learn more about invoice scams on our interactive training video.

  • That’s wrong!

     

    You should always double-check by calling the person or business you want to pay. Use a number you trust, not one from an email or invoice. Learn how to stay safe from invoice scams

    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. Learn how to stay safe from invoice scams

    That’s right!

     

    Fraudsters can add their number to an email or invoice. They want you to call them instead of the real company.

    That's right!

     

    Fraudsters can hack into a genuine email account to pretend to be a person or company you trust. They may reply to an earlier message.

    That’s wrong!

     

    Fraudsters can hack into a genuine email account to reply to an earlier chain of messages. Learn how an invoice scam works 

Learn about other scams and how to protect your business