Fake vendor invoice scam
Summary: Scammers impersonate recruitment-related vendors such as job boards, background check services, or HR consultants, and send fake invoices or payment requests to employers. These invoices often match the style of legitimate vendors but direct payments to fraudulent bank accounts. Tactic used: Impersonation and creating a false sense of fear and urgency. In their communication to employers, scammers impersonate the branding of well-known companies, using logos and creating email domains that closely resemble the legitimate domain, with only minor misspellings that can be overlooked when skim-reading. This allows the scammers to appear legitimate. Scammers also create fear and urgency by claiming overdue payments or threatening service suspension if quick action is not taken. Top recommendation:
Check whether the communication is coming from the usual email address or phone number that the vendor normally uses.
Verify directly by reaching out to the company using the contact details listed on their official website if the communication is from an unfamiliar email address or phone number, or if the communication seems unusual.