Scam category
Business email compromise
Business email compromise is one of the most financially damaging forms of cybercrime. Attackers gain access to or spoof corporate email accounts, then send convincing instructions to employees, vendors, or clients to redirect payments. A single BEC attack can steal hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the fraud often goes undetected for days or weeks.
Category activity
“email scam”
↑ 1%Watch for
- An executive or vendor sends an urgent email requesting a wire transfer or payment change outside of normal procedures.
- The email address looks correct at first glance but has a subtle difference in spelling or domain.
- The request emphasizes confidentiality and asks you not to verify through other channels.
Common searches
OpenScam News Feed
CEO wire transfer fraud
Scammers impersonate a company's CEO or executive via email, urgently requesting a large wire transfer to an account they control.
Verify any unusual wire transfer request by calling the executive directly using a known phone number
Finance teams
Global
vendor invoice payment redirect scam
Scammers impersonate a trusted vendor and send a fake notice that banking details have changed, diverting legitimate invoice payments to a fraudulent account.
Always verify bank account change requests by calling the vendor at a number from your existing records
Accounts payable teams
Global
payroll direct deposit redirect scam
Scammers impersonate an employee via email and request that their direct deposit payroll information be changed to a fraudulent bank account.
Require in-person or phone verification for any direct deposit changes using a known employee phone number
HR departments
U.S.
W-2 tax form data harvest scam
Scammers impersonate executives or HR leaders via email to request bulk W-2 or tax information for all employees, enabling identity theft at scale.
Never email W-2 data or bulk employee information based on an email request alone
HR departments
U.S.
attorney impersonation BEC scam
Scammers pose as a company's legal counsel or an external attorney, claiming a confidential legal matter requires an urgent wire transfer.
Verify any attorney-initiated payment requests by calling the law firm using independently sourced contact information
Finance teams
U.S.
real estate closing wire fraud
Scammers intercept real estate transaction emails and send fake closing instructions with fraudulent wire transfer details, stealing down payments and closing funds.
Always verify wire instructions by calling the title company at a number from their official website, never from the email
Homebuyers
U.S.
supplier impersonation payment fraud
Scammers create fake supplier identities or compromise real supplier email accounts to submit fraudulent invoices for goods or services never provided.
Verify all new suppliers through independent research and phone confirmation before making any payments
Procurement teams
Global
executive gift card request scam
Scammers impersonate a company executive and ask employees to urgently purchase gift cards for clients, employees, or events, then request the card numbers and PINs.
Always verify gift card requests by speaking directly with the executive who supposedly sent the email
Administrative assistants
U.S.
employee data theft BEC phishing
Scammers impersonate executives or IT staff to request sensitive employee data including Social Security numbers, addresses, and financial information.
Never send bulk employee personal data via email regardless of who requests it
HR departments
U.S.
merger and acquisition confidential BEC scam
Scammers impersonate executives or advisors involved in a pending deal, using the secrecy inherent in M&A transactions to authorize urgent, fraudulent wire transfers.
Verify all M&A-related payment requests through pre-established secure communication channels
CFOs
U.S.
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