Urgent payment requests need independent payee verification

An impersonator may use an institution’s name or pose as a colleague or acquaintance. Call back through contact details you already know or independently obtain, rather than only the number in the message. Ask for payment details that can be checked against actual records.

Check the beneficiary, amount, currency, account details and reason for any change of payment destination. Confirm a claimed replacement account through the contracting party’s established channel. Do not provide passwords, login codes or remote access to someone claiming this will “release” money.

If a transfer appears suspicious, promptly notify your bank and ask what action remains available. Preserve receipts and complete messages, and report the facts accurately. Fraud should not automatically be attributed solely to the victim’s carelessness; recovery and responsibility depend on the evidence and circumstances.