5 signs a bank-change request is fraud

A vendor emails: "We've changed banks, please send future payments to this new account." Most of these requests are real. But this exact message is how business email compromise steals billions a year. The FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report counted 24,768 business email compromise complaints and $3.05 billion in losses. Here are the five signs to stop and check.

1. The request arrives by email only

Real bank changes usually come with a signed form, a voided check or a call from someone you know. An email alone, especially with a new PDF "bank letter," is the classic setup. Criminals often send from a real vendor mailbox they've broken into, so a familiar sender proves nothing.

2. It's urgent or comes right before a big payment

"Our old account is frozen," "please update before Friday's payment," "we're being audited." Pressure plus timing right before a large invoice is a red flag. Real vendors can wait a day while you verify.

3. Small details are off

Look closely at the sender address (acme-supply.co instead of acmesupply.com), a reply-to address that differs from the sender, a new phone number in the signature, odd wording or a different invoice layout.

4. The new account doesn't match the vendor

The account is in a person's name instead of the company's, at a bank in a different state or country, or it's a prepaid or online-only account. The bank's name on the letter doesn't match the routing number.

5. They discourage you from calling

"I'm traveling, email only," or "call this new number to confirm." A fraudster controls the number in the email. Verification only counts if you call a number you already had on file.

What to do: the 3-step rule

1. Pause. Don't change anything from the email.
2. Call back on a number from your own records or the vendor's official website, and speak to someone you know. Confirm the old and new account's last 4 digits.
3. Watch the next payment. Send a small amount or confirm receipt with the vendor after the first payment to the new account.

Already paid the wrong account? Call your bank immediately and ask for a recall, then file at ic3.gov. The faster you act, the better the chance of getting money back.

Check your past payments for free

Paste your bill list into our free bank-change and duplicate invoice check. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

Source: FBI IC3 2025 Internet Crime Report. Informational only, not legal advice.