This Month’s Trust Brief
Vendor Impersonation Risk Is Rising for Small Businesses
Small businesses are increasingly targeted by fake vendor, invoice, and payment-change requests. This month’s Trust Signal is to review payment approval steps and vendor verification procedures.
- Scam Trends
- Vendor Risk
Most relevant to: Professional Services, Healthcare, Real Estate, Contractors, Nonprofits
What Changed
Attackers are increasingly using vendor impersonation, fake invoice requests, and payment-change scams to target small businesses.
Why It Matters for Small Businesses
Small businesses often rely on email, invoices, and informal approval processes. A single fake payment request can create financial loss, client trust issues, and operational disruption.
What To Do This Month
- Require a second approval before changing vendor payment details.
- Verify payment changes through a known phone number, not the number provided in the email.
- Train staff to pause before responding to urgent invoice or wire requests.
- Document the business’s payment approval process.
- Review who has access to financial systems and vendor records.
Legacy Core Trust Tip
A responsible business should be able to explain how it verifies payment changes and protects client/vendor information. Legacy Core helps small businesses turn those practices into visible trust signals.