Last year, our ASB consultant provided valuable and timely advice regarding fraud and the verification of bank account changes for both creditors and staff.
When notified of a bank account change, she strongly recommended verifying the change through a phone call using an official telephone number. Avoid using phone numbers provided in emails, on attached invoices, or on websites accessed through links in emails.
Similarly, when receiving an email from a staff member indicating a bank account change for payroll or reimbursements, verify the change either in person or through a phone call, using a confirmed phone number.
Our consultant shared an incident where a staff member’s email was compromised. This led to a fraudulent change in bank details for payroll. Unfortunately, the fraud went undetected until the staff member questioned the absence of her pay.
Additionally, one of our clients has also reported receiving emails posing as one of their contractors for a building project. A substantial invoice was presented for payment. Several emails were exchanged, all of which seemed genuine. Luckily, our client felt uneasy and rang the company to check. She found that there was no change to the bank account, so the fraudulent payment was not made.
We’ve attached an information sheet from ANZ about scams and fraud. Some of the content may be familiar, but with scammers getting so sophisticated, it’s best to be forewarned and prepared.
In addition, below is a link to the ASB advice on current scams.
