SCAM LIBRARY · MONEY & PAYMENT
The business-email invoice swap
Someone impersonates a trusted business contact and tricks you into sending money to the wrong account by changing payment details in an invoice or email.
Documented by the FTC & FBI IC3 · reviewed 2026-07-11T18:14:57.874Z
How it works
You receive what looks like a routine invoice or payment request from a familiar vendor, supplier, or contractor—often via email that appears to come from their usual address. The message creates a sense of urgency (a deadline, a system update, or a one-time special request) and asks you to pay to a new or slightly different account number than usual. The pressure to act quickly without double-checking is part of what makes this effective.
What it can look like
A manager receives an email that appears to be from the company's regular office-supply vendor. The email says their billing system was updated and includes a new bank account for invoices—and asks for immediate payment on an outstanding bill. The sender's email address looks almost identical to the real vendor's. By the time the real vendor calls asking why they haven't been paid, the money is already gone.
How it unfolds
Scams like this follow a pattern. Knowing the arc helps you notice where you are — and step away before the ask.
Red flags
- An invoice or payment request arrives with a new or slightly altered account number, routing number, or wire-transfer instructions
- The email address looks correct at first glance but has a small typo or unusual domain
- There's unusual urgency: 'Pay today,' 'system update,' or 'limited time,' especially for a routine transaction
- The message asks you to keep the payment details confidential or not to verify them through normal channels
- You're asked to pay via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or another hard-to-reverse method
What to do
- Stop and verify: Call the vendor or business contact directly using a phone number from your records or their official website—never use contact info in the suspicious email
- Check the sender's email address carefully and ask your IT or accounting team to review it if anything seems off
- Report the incident to reportfraud.ftc.gov so authorities can track these schemes and help protect others
If it already happened
Acting quickly can limit the damage. You are not alone, and it is not your fault.
- Stop all contact with the sender immediately. Do not reply to the email or click any links in it.
- Contact your bank or card issuer right away using the number on the back of your card or a statement you trust. Tell them the details of the fraudulent request and ask if any funds were transferred; if money moved, ask them to try to recall or reverse it.
- Change passwords for your email and any online banking accounts you use, especially if you entered login details or financial information into a form or attachment.
- Keep records of all emails, screenshots, and communications related to the scam, then report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
Guidance on this page draws on public, authoritative consumer-protection resources (verified live 2026-07-10). Documented by the FTC & FBI IC3 · reviewed 2026-07-11T18:14:57.874Z.
