The Email That Can Drain Your Business Account
Business email compromise scams don’t look suspicious—they look exactly like your normal workflow.
It starts with an email that looks… normal.
“Hey—our banking info has changed. Please send payment to the updated account.”
No urgency. No red flags. Sometimes even comes from a real vendor’s email.
And that’s the problem.
The Mistake
Small businesses often:
Update payment info based on email alone
Skip verification to “save time”
Trust existing vendor relationships too quickly
What Actually Happens
This is called Business Email Compromise (BEC).
Fraudsters:
Gain access to a vendor’s email
Monitor communication patterns
Insert themselves at the perfect moment
Redirect payments to their account
Once the money is sent—it’s rarely recovered.
Why It Works
Because it doesn’t feel like fraud.
It feels like business as usual.
How to Fix It (Immediately)
Create one rule:
No payment detail changes without verbal verification
Call the vendor using a known number—not the one in the email.
Also:
Require dual approval for payment changes
Flag any “urgent” payment shifts
Train your team to question normal-looking requests
The Real Lesson
Fraud doesn’t break your systems.
It blends into them.
CTA:
Follow Inkplots for practical fraud prevention that actually fits your day-to-day.
Sources:
Federal Bureau of Investigation – BEC Public Service Announcement
→ https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2023/PSA230504Department of Justice – BEC Case Prosecutions
→ https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/business-email-compromiseCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency – BEC Guidance
→ https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/business-email-compromise