A local Garda is warning business owners of the rise in invoice or email re-direct fraud across the region. According to reports, a number of local businesses have recently fallen victim to this particular method of fraud. The concern is most relevant to businesses who carry out online banking.
Outlining how the fraud can take place, Garda Mick Duffy said that the business receives an email purporting to be a supplier, stating that they've changed their bank account details and requesting future online payments through that account. According to Garda Duffy, "without checking" some unfortunate businesses are transferring "substantial" amounts of money into the fraudulent account.
Speaking to Northern Sound, he outlined the best way for local people to avoid this type of fraud in the future. "This crime can happen when the fraudster has accessed other emails from the supplier and made a slight change to the email address in order for it to look legitimate," said Garda Duffy. "Going forward, the only verifiable way for people to avoid this fraud is to contact the supplier on a number that you know for the business and speak directly to someone in the suppliers who is personally known to you to check if they actually have changed their bank account details. Please if you’re in business, it's important be alert for this type of fraud."
