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Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they target businesses. Gone are the days of obvious scams with poor grammar and suspicious links. Today’s phishing emails are often well-written, professional, and convincing enough to catch even experienced users off guard.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve intercepted several scam emails sent to our business. We’d like to share a few examples to help you recognise these threats before they become costly.

A Quick Note On Domain Scams:

🛑 Example 1: Fake SARS Tax Refund
An email claiming to be from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) stating that you’re entitled to a tax refund and urging you to click a link to complete a “Tax Return Form.”

The email appears professional, includes official-looking branding, and even states that SARS will never ask for your password or PIN, making it seem more believable.

🛑 Example 2: Fake Outstanding Invoice
An email claiming that an invoice is overdue with a message similar to:

“There has been a delay in settling the attached invoice. Please arrange for it to be settled ASAP.”

The email includes an attachment and encourages immediate payment, hoping the recipient will act before verifying its legitimacy.

🛑 Example 3: Fake Email Conversation
Perhaps the most convincing example we’ve seen recently was an email containing an entire conversation history between a consultant and a client regarding an overdue invoice.

The email included:

• Multiple forwarded emails.
• Previous replies discussing the invoice.
• A professional-looking invoice attachment.
• A request to simply “confirm receipt” before payment was processed.

At first glance, it looked completely genuine, as though you were joining an existing conversation. However, the entire email thread had been fabricated by the scammer to create a false sense of legitimacy and trust.

This type of attack is particularly dangerous because recipients are more likely to trust an email that appears to contain an established conversation.

🚩 Red Flags to Watch For
Be cautious if an email:

• Appears to come from someone you know, but the email address doesn’t match their usual address. Scammers often use a familiar name to gain your trust while sending the email from a completely different domain.
• Creates a false sense of urgency, pressuring you to act immediately.
• Requests that you click a link, open an attachment, or reply to the email.
• Asks you to make a payment or change banking details unexpectedly.
• References an invoice, project, or service that you don’t recognise.
• Contains generic greetings, unusual wording, spelling mistakes, or language that doesn’t sound like the person or company it claims to be from.
• Includes an email thread or forwarded conversation that appears genuine but that you have never previously been part of.
• Comes from an unknown sender or from a domain that doesn’t belong to the company it claims to represent.

Always check the sender’s actual email address – not just the display name. It is common for scammers to use the name of a colleague, supplier, client, or company you recognise while sending the email from a completely different email address.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself
Before clicking a link, opening an attachment, replying to an email, or making a payment:

• Verify the sender’s email address.
• Be cautious of unexpected invoices or payment requests.
• Never rely solely on an email conversation as proof that a request is genuine.
• Always verify new or changed banking details by calling the supplier using a trusted contact number, not the number provided in the email.
• Access websites by typing the official website address directly into your browser rather than clicking email links.
• If you’re unsure, stop and verify before taking any action.

Remember:

• SARS will never ask for your password or PIN via email.
• Legitimate companies will understand if you verify payment requests before transferring funds.
• Taking a few moments to double-check an email can prevent significant financial loss and protect your business from cybercrime.

Stay vigilant and stay safe online.