Scammers are taking advantage of the increased use of online transactions and the recovery drive following the Pandemic - conning businesses into giving up their money. Whether posing as the Government or Debt Relief Agencies or hacking accounts to send money to criminal bank accounts, the risk of fraud is three times higher than in 2018.
INVOICE AND MANDATE FRAUD
A debtor attempts to pay your outstanding invoice , but a criminal intervenes to convince the them to redirect the payment to an account they control. Posing as your business and claiming that the bank account details have changed. This type of fraud often involves the criminal either intercepting emails or compromising an email account.
Invoice and mandate scams were the sixth most common type of APP scam in 2020, however they accounted for 17 per cent of all APP losses, totalling £81.9 million. The majority of losses by value, some £52.5 million, were from non-personal or business accounts, where the average payment was £18,871.
These businesses make higher value payments more regularly and are key targets to those looking to making a quick and large buck.
HOW CAN BUSINESSES STAY SAFE FROM INVOICE AND MANDATE SCAMS?
- Always confirm any bank account details directly with the company either on the telephone or in person before you make a payment or transfer any money.
- Criminals can access or alter emails to make them look genuine. Do not use the contact details in an email, instead check the company’s official website or documentation.
- If you are making a payment to an account for the first time, transfer a small sum first and then check with the company using known contact details that the payment has been received to check the account details are correct.
- Contact your bank straight away if you think you may have fallen for an invoice or mandate scam
HOW CAN GRENKE INVOICE FINANCE SECURE YOUR FINANCES?
Communication, communication, communication. Our receivables management team work closely with our clients and their debtors managing the transfer of payments securely between parties. Each clients has ONE dedicated Account Manager who is only one call away.
We would never change our bank details or our clients bank account details without issuing a request directly to the director and speak to them directly verifying the request.
Debtors pay us. Our team manage the transfer to our clients dedicated bank account. Although administratively heavy our side, it keeps it simple and secure for our clients.
Looking for more security and consistent and professional processing, our team could add on another layer of protection to your finances and reduce the risk of being defrauded.
