Protecting Your Business | High Alert!

Dear Clients,

We have noticed an increase in fake emails targeting accounts departments, asking for bogus payments. Scammers are using publicly available information from company websites and LinkedIn to impersonate management figures like MDs, CEOs, and directors. These fake emails often come with an invoice attachment that looks legitimate, prompting a quick payment request.

Chill IT strongly advises confirming any unusual transaction requests with a follow-up call to management or directors to validate them.

Types of Scams You Should Be Aware Of

1. Similar Domain Registrations

Scammers may register a domain very similar to your own. For example, they might use a capital letter “L” instead of a lowercase “l” in a domain name.

Example:

• Legitimate domain: www.allphones.com

• Fake domain: www.aLLphones.com

A recent case involved a scammer sending a fake email from the CEO to the accounts department, requesting a transfer. The suspicious accounts department contacted us, and we were able to identify the fake domain. This was not a case of the CEO’s account being hacked but rather a domain that closely mimicked the real one.

2. Email Spoofing

Scammers can imitate your email address to appear as if an email comes from a trusted source. For example, an email could look like it’s from obama@whitehouse.gov.

More sophisticated systems will check whether the email came from an authorized server (like @whitehouse.gov). If it did not, the system will reject it. However, not all systems check this, so it’s essential to be cautious.

3. Email Address Modification

In some cases, scammers may modify the “From” address to make it look authentic. For example, an email might show:

• John Smith john.smith@yourcompany.com

However, when you click “Reply,” the recipient address may change to:

• John Smith john.smith@differentcompany.com

Always double-check the recipient’s address before responding, especially if the message seems out of the ordinary.

How Chill IT Can Help

If you have any concerns or questions regarding these scams, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1300 726 679 or email us at support@chillit.com.au. We’re here to help!