Invoice Redirection via Phone Calls
Fraudsters phone a company's finance team posing as a supplier to announce new bank details, redirecting genuine invoice payments to a criminal account.
Part of: Invoice Redirection Fraud
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
A phone call can make an invoice redirection request feel personal and credible in a way that email cannot. Hearing a confident voice claiming to be from a familiar supplier, often referencing a real invoice, lowers the guard of an accounts-payable team and lends authority to a request to change banking details.
Because caller ID can be spoofed to show the supplier's name or number, the call appears legitimate from the first ring. The conversational format also lets the fraudster respond to questions on the spot, smoothing over doubts that a written message might leave unanswered.
How this scam works on Phone calls
The caller contacts the finance or accounts-payable team claiming to represent a known supplier. They reference a real outstanding invoice or upcoming payment, which signals insider knowledge and builds trust, then explain that the supplier has changed banks.
They provide new account details and ask that records be updated, sometimes following up with a confirmation email from a spoofed address to reinforce the request. The caller may stress that an upcoming payment must use the new account to avoid disruption.
When the company pays to the new details, the funds reach the criminal. The fraud usually emerges only when the genuine supplier chases the missing payment, by which time the money has moved on.
Common red flags
- A phone call announcing that a supplier has changed bank details
- Caller ID showing a supplier name but an unfamiliar voice
- Knowledge of a real invoice used to build false credibility
- Pressure to update details before an imminent payment
- A follow-up email from a slightly altered supplier address
- Reluctance to let you call the supplier back to confirm
How to protect yourself
- Never change bank details based on an inbound phone call alone
- Hang up and call the supplier on a number you already hold on file
- Treat caller ID as unreliable and verify identity independently
- Require dual authorisation for any change to supplier records
- Confirm changes in writing with a known supplier contact
- Keep a controlled, audited process for banking-detail updates
How to report it
- Report the call to your national fraud or cybercrime reporting service
- Notify your bank immediately to attempt recovery of any payment
- Alert the genuine supplier and record the caller's number and claims
Frequently asked questions
A caller from one of our suppliers wants to update their bank details. Is that safe?
Not on the strength of the call alone. Caller ID can be faked, and knowing your invoice details does not prove identity. Hang up and call the supplier back on a number you already have on file before changing anything.