Is a wire transfer request from my CEO a scam?
Possibly. Urgent wire-transfer emails or messages appearing to come from senior executives are a major fraud category called Business Email Compromise.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams involve fraudsters impersonating a CEO, CFO, or trusted manager to pressure an employee into making an urgent wire transfer. The email address may be spoofed or the attacker may have genuinely compromised the executive's email account. The request is usually framed as confidential, time-sensitive, and outside normal approval channels. Billions of dollars are lost to BEC each year. Any out-of-channel payment request from leadership — especially one that bypasses standard approvals — should be verified by calling the executive directly on a known number, not replying to the same email thread.
Common red flags
- Urgent wire transfer requested by email from a senior person
- Instruction to keep the transfer confidential and bypass normal approval
- Email address that looks slightly different from the real one
- Request to use a new or unfamiliar bank account
- Contact made outside business hours or from a personal email
What to do now
- Do not wire any funds until you verbally verify with the requester using a known phone number
- Report the email to your IT or security team immediately
- Alert your bank if a transfer has already been initiated — quick action may allow a recall
- Document and preserve the email as evidence
Frequently asked questions
What if the email came from my CEO's real address?
Email accounts can be hacked. Even if the address looks genuine, always verify large or unusual payment requests by phone or in person before acting.