A Supplier Emailed New Bank Account Details

What the email usually says

An email that looks like it comes from a regular supplier states that their bank account has changed. It asks you to use the new account for the next invoice or any outstanding payment.

The email address is often a close copy of the real one, sometimes changed by a single letter. In other cases the supplier’s actual account was hacked and the message came from their real address.

The new account details are usually attached as a PDF or written directly in the email, styled to look official.

Why the timing makes it convincing

These emails tend to arrive close to when a real invoice is due, so the request fits naturally into your usual payment routine. Staff processing many invoices may not notice a small change in the account name.

The message often explains the change with a plausible reason, such as a new bank or an internal audit. This removes the instinct to question it.

What to do if payment has already gone

Contact your bank immediately and ask about a recall or a hold on the transfer, since how a bank recall works sets out the process and its limits. Also contact your real supplier through a known number so they are aware payment has not reached them.

File a police report and report to the Commercial Crime Investigation Department. Keep the fraudulent email, the invoice, the payment confirmation, and any correspondence with the supplier.

This is a common form of invoice diversion, and recognising the pattern can help your team catch a repeat attempt sooner.

How to verify a bank detail change safely

Treat every bank detail change as unverified until confirmed by phone, using a number from your existing records rather than the email. Ask for a staff member you already know, not whoever answers.

Where possible, require a second person to check any change to a supplier’s payment details before an invoice is paid. This single step stops most of these scams.

What to do next

Report through the official channels first, since a documented report supports a bank dispute or any later claim. Preserve every document connected to the payment, in the order things happened.

If the amount is significant, a first assessment of whether legal action is worth it can set out what is realistic before your company commits further resources.