North Wales Police issues warning over invoice fraud targeting businesses and schools
North Wales Police is warning businesses, schools and individuals to be on guard against invoice fraud, which it describes as one of the most common and costly forms of financial crime.
The warning comes from the force’s cyber crime unit, which shared guidance this week produced by the National College.
Invoice fraud, sometimes called payment diversion fraud, involves criminals tricking someone into paying a fake invoice or redirecting a legitimate payment into a fraudster’s bank account.
Fraudsters may impersonate suppliers, intercept email conversations or send convincing invoices designed to look genuine.
A common tactic is to contact a business claiming that a supplier’s bank details have changed, then diverting future payments to a criminal account.
Police say small changes to a supplier’s email address, such as an extra character or a slight spelling difference, can be a warning sign that an account has been compromised.
Unusual wording in messages, unexpected payment requests for goods or services not recognised, and pressure to pay quickly are also listed as signs that something may be wrong.
The guidance advises always confirming any change to a supplier’s bank details by calling a trusted phone number before making a payment, and checking new invoices against previous ones for discrepancies in amounts, bank details or contact names.
For high-value payments, police recommend asking a second person to review and approve the transaction before it is processed.
Anyone who suspects they have received a fraudulent invoice should contact their bank immediately using 159 or report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
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