Protect Yourself from Business Email Compromise (BEC) Scams

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a fast-growing type of fraud where criminals impersonate a trusted party—such as a vendor, executive, or employee—to trick individuals or businesses into sending payments to fraudulent accounts.

One of the most common tactics in BEC scams is requesting a change in payment instructions—often just the account number. It’s important to understand that banks process payments based on the account number, not the beneficiary’s name. Even if the name is correct, the payment can still be routed to a scammer’s account if the account number has been changed.

Tips to Help You Stay Safe:

• Always verify payment instructions—especially if there’s a request to update bank account details or routing information. Use a known and trusted phone number to confirm the change.

• Look out for red flags:

  • Sudden changes in beneficiary account numbers or banks

  • Requests to send funds to a new jurisdiction or unfamiliar financial institution

  • Emails that create urgency or pressure to act quickly

  • Email addresses that look slightly off or unfamiliar

• Be cautious with email communications. Scammers often spoof or compromise legitimate email accounts.
• Use multi-factor authentication for your email and financial systems to reduce the risk of compromise.

When in doubt, pause and verify. If you ever suspect suspicious activity or have questions about payment instructions, contact the bank immediately.