You stop email fraud and invoice scams by treating every request to change bank details as suspect and verifying it by phone on a known number before any money moves, backed by managed email security, impersonation protection, MFA and account monitoring. On a construction or M&E project, large payments move between contractors, suppliers and clients, which makes you a prime target. Closing off the way these scams work protects real money.
The classic scam: a convincing email, often from a real but hacked account, asks you to pay a new bank account. Here’s how to stop it.
1. Verify every change of bank details
Make it a firm rule that no change to a supplier’s or subcontractor’s payment details is accepted on an email alone. Confirm it by calling a known, pre-agreed number. This one habit stops the most common and costly scam in the sector.
2. Lock down email
Managed filtering, impersonation protection and MFA on every mailbox make it far harder for a criminal to read your mail, pose as you or a supplier, or hijack an account in the first place.
3. Monitor for hijacked accounts
Continuous monitoring flags the signs of a compromised mailbox, such as a login from an unexpected country or a new forwarding rule, so a hijacked account is caught before it’s used to send a fraudulent invoice.
4. Train your team
Your office and finance staff are the last line of defence. Regular training and a simple “when in doubt, phone to check” culture keep everyone alert to the warning signs.
A real example: a suspicious email checked in time
We support a security and M&E contractor where a staff member forwarded two suspicious emails and asked if they were legit. We examined the sender, links and intent and gave a clear verdict, so nothing malicious was clicked and no fraudulent request was acted on. Turning a moment of doubt into a quick answer is what prevents fraud.
For a security, fire or M&E contractor, this is part of managed IT and security that usually costs about £45 to £100 per user per month, scaling with your headcount, how many staff work from site, and the finance and security software you rely on.
Why security and M&E contractors choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including security, fire and M&E contractors and building-services firms with office and site-based teams. We know how these businesses run: hosted desktops for staff on site and in the office, QuickBooks and payroll, secure remote access for field engineers, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and the layered security that protects a firm handling client sites and payments, from MFA and application allowlisting to managed threat detection. We support contractors in Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and across Essex, Hertfordshire and London. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we’ve been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Worried about invoice fraud on your projects? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll check your email security and verification process.