In the past, scams were often easy to spot because emails were badly written, sender addresses looked suspicious, and fake invoices had obvious mistakes. Criminals can now use artificial intelligence to write professional emails, imitate communication styles, create fake documents, clone voices and produce deepfake video or audio, making impersonation far more convincing.
Verify any change in supplier bank details through a separate communication channel. If new bank details arrive by email, do not reply directly to that email — contact the supplier using a trusted phone number or contact already held on file. This simple step can prevent serious losses.
Fraudsters often create pressure by claiming a payment is urgent, confidential, delayed, or required to avoid consequences. Staff should be trained to recognise urgency as a warning sign rather than a reason to bypass controls, and should feel comfortable questioning unusual requests even when they appear to come from senior management.
No. For directors, fraud prevention should be treated as part of governance and financial control. The question is not whether staff are trustworthy, but whether the business has controls that protect both the company and its employees from manipulation. Regular financial review and reconciliation also help identify issues earlier.
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