You are preparing to pay a contractor or business vendor when an email arrives with a different bank account, mailing address, or payment link. The invoice amount looks right, and the sender's name is familiar. Before redirecting the money, verify the change through a contact route established separately from that message.
For a Mississippi homeowner or small business, this creates two questions: is the new instruction authentic, and what does the underlying agreement require? Treat them separately. This guide addresses practical verification and records to preserve; it does not determine who bears a loss if a payment reaches the wrong account.
Identify exactly what changed
Compare the new request with the agreement, earlier invoices, and your existing vendor records. Is the change limited to a destination, or does it also change the amount, recipient's name, due date, or payment method?
Make a short comparison note before editing your payment system. For example, record that the invoice number and amount match an earlier invoice but the requested recipient differs. Keep the original request so someone reviewing the problem can distinguish the sender's instruction from your later notes.
The Federal Trade Commission's small-business invoice guidance also warns about bills for purchases never made. Check that the underlying purchase is real, not merely that the invoice looks familiar. If employees handle payments, make clear who checks the purchase and who approves an instruction change.
Verify through an established contact
The FBI's business email compromise guidance explains that criminals may imitate an address or gain access to legitimate billing conversations. A convincing email thread is therefore not enough to authenticate a new payment destination.
Call a number already verified in your vendor records, or locate the company's official contact information independently. Do not rely on the callback number or link supplied in the questionable request. The FBI recommends verifying payment changes in person or by phone and treating pressure to rush as a warning sign.
Keep the conversation specific:
- Did the company issue this particular change?
- Which invoice and recipient does it concern?
- Who at the company authorized it?
- How will the verified instruction be documented through the company's established process?
Record whom you reached, how you found the contact, and what was confirmed. If the answers conflict, keep the question open and seek clarification through the established relationship. Do not treat a second reply in the same email chain as independent confirmation.
If the payment has already been sent
Contact the financial institution that sent the money immediately. The Internet Crime Complaint Center's BEC guidance directs victims to request a recall or reversal as soon as fraud is recognized and to file a detailed IC3 complaint. Ask the institution what information it needs and what steps are available for your transaction. A request for help is not a guarantee that money can be recovered.
Preserve the payment confirmation, invoice versions, messages, and any available email headers. The IC3's complaint FAQ explains that transaction details help a report and that original supporting records should be kept securely. IC3 does not accept evidence attachments; an investigating agency may later request records. Do not open suspicious attachments merely to gather more material.
Use the official reporting route. The IC3 warns that it does not partner with private law firms or crypto services to recover money. Be cautious of anyone presenting a recovery fee as part of an IC3 investigation.
Keep the contract question separate
A disputed payment can leave practical questions for both sides: what instruction was actually given, what each person verified, where the money went, and what the agreement says about payment. Do not assume that reporting suspected fraud resolves those questions or authorizes cancellation of the contract.
Seek prompt advice before deciding to withhold a payment, pay the same invoice again, or terminate the relationship. Bring the agreement and the specific payment-change records, including any approaching contractual date. Our guide to organizing contract-dispute evidence covers the broader performance and payment history without replacing this verification step.
Sheppard Law Firm reviews Mississippi contract and civil disputes. Start with a brief consultation request and wait for instructions before sending detailed or sensitive records. Non-injury consultations are paid; the firm confirms the fee and agreed review scope before payment and scheduling. Initial screening is not legal advice, and ongoing representation requires the firm's acceptance and a separate signed engagement agreement.