You stop phishing and email fraud with managed email filtering, impersonation protection, multi-factor authentication, regular staff training, and a strict rule to verify any payment change by phone. Most attacks on a financial firm start in the inbox, so that is where the defence has to be strongest. No single control catches everything, but together they block the overwhelming majority.
Phishing is now convincing and often personalised, so you cannot rely on spotting bad spelling. Here’s the layered defence that works.
1. Managed email filtering
Good filtering stops most phishing and malicious attachments before they reach anyone. We tune it so genuine business email flows while threats are caught, and we deal quickly with anything wrongly held back.
2. Impersonation protection
Many scams impersonate a colleague, a client or a supplier. Impersonation protection flags emails pretending to come from people you trust, which is exactly how invoice and payment fraud begins.
3. MFA and a payment-verification rule
MFA means a phished password alone cannot be used to log in. And a firm rule that no change to bank or payment details is accepted without a phone call to a known number stops fraud at the point money would move.
4. Trained, alert people
Your team is the last line of defence. Short, regular training and simulated phishing tests keep them alert to the warning signs, so a convincing email is questioned rather than acted on.
A real example: a fast reaction to phishing
We supported a technology firm serving financial trading firms where a spam and phishing attempt was contained quickly thanks to managed email security and a fast response. The user’s feedback said it all: “Happy with the fast reaction to spam phishing. Well done.”
For most technology and trading firms, this sits within fully managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month, billed per user, with the security and resilience these businesses rely on built in.
Why technology and trading firms choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including software and technology companies and firms that serve financial markets. We know the systems these teams depend on: secure VPN and remote access, source control and build pipelines, virtual dev and test environments, Microsoft 365 and Teams, and the security that banks and regulators expect, from multi-factor authentication and endpoint protection to application allowlisting and email security. We work with technology and trading firms in London and across Essex and Hertfordshire. 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 phishing and email fraud? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll strengthen your defences.