Wire fraud prevention training for the moment before the money moves.
Wire and ACH fraud is the quiet kind. There may be no malware at all, only a believable message asking to change payment details. The best moment to stop it is before the transfer is approved.
How wire fraud and payment redirection work
In wire fraud, an attacker convinces someone to send money, or to change where money is sent, by pretending to be an executive, vendor, lawyer, or other trusted party. The request often arrives by email from a spoofed or compromised account, and the new payment details belong to the attacker.
Bank transfers are fast and hard to reverse, which is why attackers like them. The message usually looks like normal business: a deal closing, a vendor update, an urgent supplier payment. The pressure and the confidentiality are what make it work.
Warning signs of wire fraud
Any of these is a reason to hold the payment until it is confirmed through a second source.
- New or changed payment instructionsA request to use a different bank, account, or payee, especially close to a payment date.
- Urgency with confidentialityRequests to act today and tell no one are designed to avoid checks.
- An unusual payment method or destinationA wire where you normally pay another way, or an account in a different name, bank, or country.
- A sender who cannot be reached by phoneMessages that say they are traveling or in meetings and cannot take a call.
- A thread or address that looks slightly offAdded or changed participants, or an address that is nearly but not exactly correct.
What to do before you send a wire
Treat a change in payment details as a security event until it is verified.
- Stop the transferDo not release funds on the strength of an email alone.
- Call back on a verified numberUse contact details already on file, not details from the message.
- Follow dual approvalRequire a second person to confirm new or changed payment details.
- Check the details against recordsCompare the account, name, and amount with past payments and contracts.
- Act fast if money has goneCall your bank right away to ask about a recall, then notify your security contact.
Wire fraud prevention training for finance teams and beyond
These AwarenessCORE modules are self-paced and each ends with a graded assessment.
A dedicated module on this topic is coming soon. See the Coming soon card.
Questions about wire fraud prevention training
What is wire fraud?
Wire fraud is the use of deception to cause money to be sent by bank transfer. In business settings it often involves an email that impersonates an executive or vendor and gives new payment details.
How does payment redirection work?
The attacker asks a company to send a regular payment to a new account they control, often by pretending to be a vendor. If the change goes unchecked, the next payment goes to the attacker.
Why are wire transfers a common target?
Transfers are fast and difficult to reverse, so once funds have moved they may be hard to recover. That makes the check before sending the most valuable one.
What should we do if a fraudulent wire was sent?
Contact your bank immediately and ask about recalling the transfer, then tell your security contact and consider reporting to law enforcement. Quick action can help, though recovery is not guaranteed.
What controls support training?
Callback verification to a known number, dual approval for payment changes, and payment limits all help. Training teaches people to use these controls rather than work around them.
Know the signs beyond wire fraud
A quick reference: the first warning sign from each of the ten threat pages. Each chip opens the full list and what to do.
Add a verification habit to every payment
Tell us your team size and we will suggest which modules fit. A real person replies, usually within one business day.
- A real person, not a bot, within one business day
- Straight answer on cost and what fits your team size
- No pressure to buy
Got it. We will be in touch.
Someone from AwarenessCORE will reach out within one business day.
What every module includes
- A graded knowledge check with a pass mark
- A completion certificate when you pass
- Access that does not expire
- One payment per module, no subscription
Built by TheBRHub, an IT and email security company in Carlsbad, California.