How AI is making email scams harder to spot

What you should know about Business Email Compromise

For most businesses, email keeps work moving. Payments get approved, vendors get paid and important decisions happen every day through your inbox. Unfortunately, criminals know that too.

Business email compromise (BEC) is a scam in which fraudsters pose as someone you trust — business leadership, a vendor, client or business partner — and convince you or someone on your staff to send money or share sensitive information. According to FBI.gov, BEC is considered one of the most financially damaging cybercrimes.

How AI is making these scams harder to spot

Not long ago, scam emails often gave themselves away with poor grammar, spelling mistakes or awkward wording.

Today, AI can help criminals create polished emails that look and sound authentic. Some scammers use publicly available information from company websites, social media profiles and other online sources to craft messages that feel personal and relevant. In some cases, they gain access to a legitimate email account and insert themselves into an ongoing conversation. The request may look completely normal because it arrives in a familiar email thread from someone you know.

The technology may be new, but the goal is the same: get someone to act before they stop and verify.

Common BEC scams

Be especially cautious when an email involves:

• New payment instructions from a vendor or supplier
• An urgent request to send a wire transfer
• Requests for employee records, tax documents or other confidential information
• Pressure to keep a transaction secret or act immediately
  
  

Simple steps can make a big difference

The best protection is a combination of strong security practices and a level of skepticism. Consider these safeguards:

• Verify payment requests by calling a known phone number, not the number provided in the email.
• Require dual approval for wire transfers and payment changes.
• Enable multifactor authentication on business email accounts.
• Train employees to recognize scammers’ tactics and to question unusual requests.
• Check email addresses carefully for slight misspellings or other inconsistencies.
  
  

If something feels off, stop and verify

Many BEC scams succeed because they create urgency. A quick phone call or second review can prevent a costly mistake.

At Columbia Bank, we're committed to helping businesses stay informed about emerging fraud threats. If you suspect fraudulent activity, contact us immediately at 866-563-1010. We’ll help protect your accounts and provide important next steps.