Vendor Impersonation Scams: How Fake Supplier Emails Steal Money

## What is vendor impersonation? Vendor impersonation happens when an attacker pretends to be a supplier, partner, contractor, or service provider. The message often asks for payment, bank detail changes, urgent approval, or access to a shared document. ## Why it works Business teams already expect invoices and vendor emails. Attackers copy normal language and timing, then add just enough urgency to push someone into action. ## Red flags - New bank account details - Urgent payment deadline - Sender domain is slightly different - Invoice link goes through a strange redirect - The email asks to keep the request confidential - The message bypasses normal approval flow ## Safer process Verify bank detail changes through a separate channel. Check links before opening documents. Keep a record of suspicious vendor messages so repeat attacks are easy to spot. ## Bottom line Vendor impersonation is not just an IT problem. It is a payment workflow problem, and the best defense is verification before action.