How We Protect Our Business from BEC Scams—And How You Can Too

As a website development company, we understand the importance of cybersecurity firsthand. Like many businesses, we’ve encountered attempts at fraud—fake vendor invoices, deceptive employee payroll requests, and phishing emails designed to trick our team into handing over sensitive information. 

Fortunately, we’ve managed to avoid these threats, but the growing number of Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams makes it clear that every company needs to stay vigilant.

We want to help others recognize and prevent these scams before they cause significant financial and reputational damage.

BEC scams typically involve a cybercriminal impersonating someone your business trusts—a vendor, a high-level executive, or even a colleague in HR or payroll. The goal is to convince an employee to send money or disclose sensitive data under the guise of a legitimate business transaction.

These scams are highly sophisticated and often rely on email spoofing, hacked accounts, or deepfake technology to appear convincing.

A construction company in Australia fell victim to a BEC scam when hackers gained access to a supplier’s email account. The scammers then sent an invoice that looked completely authentic—but with altered bank details. The company unknowingly sent over $900,000 to a fraudulent account before realizing the deception.

BEC scams are on the rise, and no business is immune—but by training your employees and implementing strong security protocols, you can significantly reduce the risk. If your company hasn’t conducted cybersecurity awareness training recently, now is the time.