In digital fraud, it is rarely the computer that is at fault. Attackers know full well that a business owner has a thousand things to deal with at once during the day: taking delivery of goods, liaising with customers, issuing invoices. They prey on inattention, haste and good faith.
The good news is that you don’t need a degree in IT to recognise and ward off these scams. All it takes is incorporating a few simple, everyday habits into your daily work.
The warning signs that should immediately catch your eye
- Urgency and creating a sense of tension: “Sort this out straight away, or they’ll freeze the account!”, “I’m in a meeting – you’ve got ten minutes to make the transfer!”, “The deadline is today!” If a message or caller demands immediate action, it’s almost always a trap. The fraudsters’ aim is to deprive you of time to think.
- Minor discrepancies in the sender’s details: The sender of the email appears to be your accountant or supplier, but the address differs by one or two letters (for example, kovacs-bt.hu instead of kovacs_bt.hu or kovacs-bt.com).
- Unusual requests: When a bank clerk asks you to transfer your money to a ‘security account’ or to install an app on your phone. A genuine bank would never ask for this.
- Links and pressure to click: Short links sent via text message that urge you to fill in a form, enter a password or pay a 300 forint surcharge.
Practical security rules for the office and the workshop
1. The ‘two eyes and a phone’ principle for financial matters
If a business partner informs you by letter that their bank account number has changed, you must not transfer funds to the new account number given in the letter. You must pick up the phone, call your usual contact using the number listed in your address book, and ask them directly. This two-minute call could save you tens of millions.
2. Hanging up on bank calls
If someone calls on behalf of the bank under the pretext of suspicious financial activity, there is only one correct response: “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I’ll hang up and call the bank back using the official customer service number.” A genuine bank representative will understand your caution. The fraudster will become agitated or try to keep you on the line.
3. Never install anything at a stranger’s request
Neither AnyDesk, nor TeamViewer, nor any other remote access programme should be installed on your computer at the instruction of someone on the phone. These programmes provide access to your computer and your open online banking account.
4. Avoid clicking on links
Do not click on links contained in text messages from courier companies, the tax authority or utility providers. If you receive a message saying a parcel is on its way, type the company’s web address directly into your browser and check the parcel number on the official website.
5. Fostering a secure corporate culture
Employees must be aware that no one will face reprisals for pausing to verify an unusual instruction or checking the validity of a request from their manager. It must be established as a company rule that no one is to authorise a financial transfer via chat or email without verbal confirmation.
Vélemény, hozzászólás?