That Invoice is a Trap! Protecting Your Business from Email Compromise (BEC)

That Invoice is a Trap! Protecting Your Business from Email Compromise (BEC)

Imagine managing a company while balancing suppliers, payments, and deadlines.  You receive an email from a reliable source one morning.  The email address appears to be correct, the invoice appears authentic, and the amount makes sense.  After approving the payment, you later learn that the funds were transferred directly to a scammer's account.

This is known as Business Email Compromise (BEC), and it costs companies billions of dollars annually.  From start-ups to major corporations, Nigerian businesses are included.  BEC is risky because it is straightforward.  No glaring red flags or gaudy viruses are present.  It's just a well-crafted email that appears to be from someone you can trust.

Scammers pull this off by:

Impersonating executives or suppliers to authorise fake payments.

Hijacking real email threads to slip in fraudulent bank details.

Using subtle email tricks like swapping a single character in an address (think “info@suppller.com” instead of “info@supplier.com”).

It works because businesses run on trust, speed, and pressure to deliver. Scammers exploit all three. 

So, how do we fight back? This is where AI makes a difference. At ProtecAI, our ScamGuard technology looks beyond the surface of an email. It analyses:

● Headers :  to catch tiny changes in sender addresses.

● Language: spotting unusual requests or urgent payment demands.

Instead of relying on you to notice every small detail, ScamGuard acts as an extra layer of protection.

The truth is, not every invoice is real. Some are traps set by clever fraudsters. But with the right tools and awareness, you can stay one step ahead.

Trust is good. Verification is better.

ScamGuard is coming.