Invoice fraud and CEO spoofing
June 8, 2020
If you stop and think about it, you already know how to beat invoice fraud and CEO spoofing.
It’s not hard for fraudsters to find out business invoice details (even down to payment dates) and then pose as regular suppliers.
You know if the ‘supplier’ contacting you might not be your supplier. You know you should always validate requests to change payment details. You know if something in the request doesn’t quite add up.
If you receive an email from your CEO or another senior member of staff asking you to make an urgent payment outside of normal procedures, don’t automatically follow their lead.
You know if the ‘CEO’ emailing you might not genuinely be your CEO. You know if something in their tone or request doesn’t add up, or if something they’re asking doesn’t feel right. You know you should always validate requests to change payment details.
It’s just that when you’re busy, or under pressure, it’s easy to forget this.
By following some simple steps you can beat the fraudsters:
- Don’t assume an email or phone call is authentic. Are they who they say they are? Is it really one of your suppliers? Is it really your CEO? Take time to think. Take time to check.
- Are they supplying the right information? It’s easy for a criminal to pose as your supplier and ask you to change bank account details, or pose as your CEO, emailing to ask you to make an urgent one-off payment. It’s also easy for you to call your real supplier, or your CEO and check!
- Listen to your instincts – you know if something doesn’t feel right. If it feels wrong then it probably is. If you suspect a request isn’t from your genuine supplier, always question it. Always validate requests to change payment details or make one-off payments. Take time to call them back on a number you’ve used before.
- Don’t be rushed or pressured into making a decision. Remember to stop and take time to carefully consider your actions.
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As fraud risks continue to evolve, staying informed and vigilant is more important than ever. This summer, SAFE is proud to launch a comprehensive Fraud Awareness Webinar Series designed to equip our clients and the wider healthcare community with the knowledge and tools to detect, prevent, and respond to fraud effectively. Why Attend? Fraud is a growing threat that impacts organisations across all industries. Our expert-led webinars will cover a range of timely topics, including mandate fraud, imposter fraud, the fraud triangle and the benefits of early intervention.
We are excited to announce that we have recently had the ISO 9001:2015 audit and can confidently say we passed with flying colours!
When Sarah Whitaker approached an introductory care agency to find a carer for her 89 year old father she expected they would refer a suitably qualified and professional carer. Instead, Sarah was 'horrified' to discover that an unqualified imposter had been in her fathers home for almost three weeks! Unfortunately Sarah's story, reported by Sky News , is not as uncommon as one might expect. In January 2024, a man admitted impersonating a nurse and accessing resuscitation and children's areas at a hospital in Glasgow (BBC News) . SAFE has experience of dealing with a number of similar cases where an unqualified imposter had been found to be working in place of the qualified professional that was expected.
