Email hack scam

foju2019

Hi, I’m unsure which board to post this on but hoping for some advice. My parents have been victims of a scam, they have been in discussion for a while with a roofer to replace roof on their house. Communication face to face, over phone and via email. Quote given which they’ve accepted. Received an email yesterday saying great can start on Monday. Then another saying a deposit to be paid here are the bank details. Sadly they have paid it without realising the email address has changed by one letter - a g changed to a q in the address. Everything else appeared normal, tone of email same, sign off same. Nothing to raise suspicion. 

Even more sadly they received a call from their bank to verify if they wanted the payment to go ahead and they said yes believing the details had come from the same email address they’ve been dealing with throughout. 

They are devastated, as although they have reported it etc as they confirmed to the bank the payment could go, they think they have little chance of getting the money back. 

Does anyone have any advice? The roofer suggested it must be the email at our end that has been hacked, have no idea how that could be verified? I feel he should be seriously investigating to find out whether if it is on his end that no other of his customers have been targeted!
not sure what I’m looking for really, just maybe some advice on anyone who has dealt with something similar. 

Thank you 

soolin

Just for a start have a read of some of these links, it seems this is not uncommon

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/73443974#Comment_73443974

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/oct/17/push-payment-fraud-protection

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/beatthescammers/article-5014171/An-unsuspecting-email-builder-4-000-vanished.html

askeym

It's an old scam. The things that do these scams are vermin creatures especially in times like these. I hope they didn't lose too much money.

jonesMUFCforever

How did this get past Confirmation of Payee?

dogshome

With Bank to Bank transfers I always send a token payment first - A fiver - Even with money to members of the family. and only send the balance when they have confirmed by phone receipt of the £5.

This seems to work - 2 years ago I bought a new Garage door, £860, sent the fiver, phoned the supplier and they had not received it. A check on the incoming Email giving the payment details showed a small difference in the Email address - Sent the fake payment details to action fraud, but never heard another word

 

sweetsand

Old scam, but good to air it so it warns others. I hope your parents get their money back.