How to Prevent Wire and ACH Fraud

Wire and ACH fraud often doesn’t start with a big red flag. Instead, it begins when fraudsters quietly take over the email account of a trusted vendor, customer, or partner. Once inside, they can see past conversations, invoices, and payment schedules – giving them everything they need to convincingly impersonate a legitimate contact.

Using this access, fraudsters can send emails that look to be true, including asking for a change to payments. They’ll often claim it’s a routine update and press for changes immediately. They might even apologize for the urgency.

This is the critical moment when fraud succeeds or fails.

Any request to change payment details that comes through email should be treated as a warning sign. Even if the email appears to be from a trusted source, do not respond directly to it. Do not click links, reply with questions, or call a phone number listed within the email.

Stop and verify the request using a trusted method, such as calling a known, verified phone number that you already have on file. Confirm the change with a person before taking any action. Remember, no one should be upset that you’ve taken this precaution.

Wire and ACH fraud relies on speed and assumption. Slowing down and verifying payment changes through trusted channels is one of the most effective ways businesses can protect themselves.

What to do if you’ve been scammed:

Stop further damage: Cut off contact with the scammer and secure accounts.

Report it fast: Contact us immediately at 508.568.3400. We’ll help secure your accounts, change your passwords, and guide you through fraud reporting and recovery steps. Plus, contact your local police department to report the scam and see what steps can be taken.

Update passwords: Change any shared passwords and avoid reuse.

For more fraud prevention tips, please visit our security page.