TL;DR: Business email compromise (BEC) is a scam where an attacker impersonates a company executive or vendor via email to trick an employee into wiring money or sensitive data. Verify any payment or bank detail change by phone using a number you already have on file — never one provided in the email — and enforce a policy requiring verbal confirmation for wire transfers.
Business email compromise (BEC) is a scam where an attacker impersonates a company executive or vendor via email to trick an employee into wiring money or sensitive data.
How Business Email Compromise Works
Attackers often compromise or spoof a real executive's or vendor's email account, then send an urgent request to an employee in finance to wire funds or change payment details for an upcoming invoice — timed to catch people off guard.
Warning Signs to Watch For
An unusual request from a senior executive, urgency to bypass normal approval processes, last-minute changes to payment or bank details, and slight misspellings in the sender's email domain.
How to Protect Yourself
Verify any payment or bank detail change by phone using a number you already have on file — never one provided in the email — and enforce a policy requiring verbal confirmation for wire transfers.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading What Is Caller ID Spoofing? How It Works and How to Protect Yourself.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see What Is Card Skimming? How It Works and How to Protect Yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Business Email Compromise?
Business email compromise (BEC) is a scam where an attacker impersonates a company executive or vendor via email to trick an employee into wiring money or sensitive data.
How does Business Email Compromise typically work?
Attackers often compromise or spoof a real executive's or vendor's email account, then send an urgent request to an employee in finance to wire funds or change payment details for an upcoming invoice — timed to catch people off guard.
What are the warning signs of Business Email Compromise?
An unusual request from a senior executive, urgency to bypass normal approval processes, last-minute changes to payment or bank details, and slight misspellings in the sender's email domain.
How can I protect myself from Business Email Compromise?
Verify any payment or bank detail change by phone using a number you already have on file — never one provided in the email — and enforce a policy requiring verbal confirmation for wire transfers.
What should I do if I think I’ve encountered Business Email Compromise?
Stop responding immediately, do not click any links or share information, and report it to the appropriate authority. If money or personal information was already shared, act quickly to secure your accounts and report the incident.