Clever Email Fraud Almost Worked!

[Kingster]

Had a close call, so thought I'd share.

 

Just got back from holiday and a customer called in to catch up on where i was at with his project.

 

He mentioned an email that I sent him requesting payment - and I was puzzled - "what email?" I said. "The one you sent the day you went on holiday with a revised invoice - I replied, wondering why you were still working, did you not get it?"

 

At this point I was getting worried that Alzheimers had kicked in prematurely and was trying not to look stupid. I checked my emails and nothing had gone out.

 

He then showed me the email on his phone - and it looked just like one of mine, with my own logo etc and had my PDF invoice attached. It said to ignore previous invoice and pay into new account, revised invoice attached. The attached invoice was identical to the one I'd sent him a week earlier except for the bank account details!

 

Luckily, he is a super quick payer and the invoice (over £5k) had already been paid - I immediately went into panic mode and checked the bank to ensure it really had been paid - which it had thank gawd. I know that technically it would have been my customer who would be out of pocket, but it would still have been very awkward trying to get him to pay again any time soon!

 

It did have a different 'from' address - but he thought it might have been a personal one I was using while on holiday.

 

So watch out for this one if you receive a genuine looking invoice from a regular supplier 'replacing' the previous one with new bank details.

 

I've reported it to Lloyds Bank - as the fraudulent account is one of theirs in Chelmsford.

[Nick Algar - Competition Secretary]

Normally get loads and they are easy to see, that's very tricky. Thanks for letting us all know. But also sounds like they have intercepted one of your original emails ?

[Kingster]

Normally get loads and they are easy to see, that's very tricky. Thanks for letting us all know. But also sounds like they have intercepted one of your original emails ?

 

Yes Nick - that is exactly what happened. I believe they may have accessed/intercepted the client's email account as the original email was cc'd to the guy who actually pays the bill (one guy commissions the work, his business partner deals with invoicing) and no other customers that I have contacted have reported anything suspicious.

 

I have changed my account passwords just in case and advised the client to do likewise.

[Andy - a15cro]

OBriens skips have recently had a problem where scammers emailed all of their customers including me giving new ban account details. Luckily I take my time paying them, so all of my bills didn't go in the wrong pocket! It's a world filled with scum these days.

[D7PNY]

Come across a few of these in my time.

Common for the scammers to see work vans outside a premises and chance their arm sending sending in an invoice from the company doing the work on the off chance it slips through.

I know of a company who had a customer fall for it and be out of pocket for a large sum as a result.

Dave