Invoice Redirection on WhatsApp
Scammers message finance staff on WhatsApp posing as a supplier contact to announce new banking details and divert genuine invoice payments.
Part of: Invoice Redirection Fraud
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
As more business is conducted over messaging apps, invoice redirection has moved onto WhatsApp. A message from someone claiming to be a supplier's accounts contact, sent to a personal or business number, can feel like a normal continuation of an existing relationship.
WhatsApp's informal, mobile-first style works in the fraudster's favour. Quick exchanges and a friendly tone make a request to update banking details seem routine, and the absence of formal letterhead or verification removes the cues staff would normally rely on.
How this scam works on WhatsApp
The target receives a WhatsApp message from a number presenting itself as a known supplier's finance or sales contact. The opener may explain a new number or simply reference an ongoing order or invoice to establish legitimacy.
The sender then states that the supplier has changed bank accounts and shares the new details, sometimes attaching a forged document on letterhead. They ask the company to use the new account for the next payment and update its records.
When the payment is made, it reaches the criminal's account rather than the supplier. Because the conversation felt like normal supplier contact, the diversion is often noticed only when the real supplier reports non-payment.
Common red flags
- A WhatsApp message announcing a supplier's change of bank details
- A new or unknown number claiming to be a supplier contact
- An attached invoice or letter used to justify the new account
- Pressure to redirect an imminent payment to the new details
- Reluctance to confirm the change through official channels
- Banking changes communicated only through a messaging app
How to protect yourself
- Never update supplier bank details based on a WhatsApp message
- Verify by calling a known supplier contact on a saved number
- Treat attached documents as easy to forge and not proof of identity
- Require dual authorisation for changes to supplier records
- Keep banking-change processes in audited, official systems
- Confirm the first payment to any new account before continuing
How to report it
- Report the impersonating number using WhatsApp's in-app tools
- File a report with your national fraud or cybercrime authority
- Notify your bank and the genuine supplier without delay
Frequently asked questions
A supplier contact messaged our finance team on WhatsApp about new bank details. What should we do?
Do not change anything based on the message, even if it includes a document. Call the supplier on a number you already have on file and confirm the change with a known person. Genuine suppliers will not object to this check.