Authority as a pressure tool
An impersonation attempt may appear to come from a senior colleague and ask for an unusual business action. The message may create a reason to avoid conversation or ordinary approvals.
Watch for process exceptions
Unexpected instructions involving payments, confidential information, or unusual purchases deserve independent verification. An executive’s name and a plausible signature are not sufficient identity checks.
Verify without using the new contact details
Use an established internal channel or a known contact route. Keep the normal approval process in place. A request for secrecy should not remove the ability to validate a business instruction.
Further reading: FBI: Business Email Compromise. This external reference does not imply a partnership or integration.
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