Scammers don’t only target careless people. They target normal people doing normal things on a busy day.
Running a business means making decisions all day long. Some are routine. Others need to happen fast. A supplier needs paying, a shipment is waiting, a customer is chasing you, or a colleague needs sign-off before end of day.
Scammers know businesses run on trust, relationships, and deadlines. So instead of sending something obviously suspicious, they try to make a fake request look like just another part of your day. That’s what makes today’s scams so hard to catch. It’s not about being careless or unaware. Sometimes the most convincing scams are the ones that slot right into what you’re already doing.
When Everything Looks Normal
Scams don’t always come with warning signs. They usually blend into everyday business activity.
You might get an invoice from a supplier you’ve worked with for years, except their bank details have changed. A real order or shipment might be in progress, but someone has slipped a different payment instruction into the conversation.
In each case, the request can look completely reasonable on the surface. The real question isn’t whether you were careful enough. It’s whether there was a moment to pause, check, and confirm what changed before the money left the account.
Scams Exploit Trust
Scammers rely on something simple: trust in familiar relationships.
Trust in a supplier you’ve worked with for years, until their payment details suddenly change. Trust in a colleague or senior executive, until an unusual payment request shows up. Trust in a real transaction, until someone slips in fraudulent instructions.
The request feels legitimate because it’s built around something you already recognise.
Technology Makes the Deception Harder to Spot
Technology is making scams more convincing. Phishing, malware, deepfakes, impersonation. Digital tools make it easier to fake communications that look real. A familiar name, email, voice, or video is no longer enough to confirm a request is genuine.
The answer isn’t to distrust every message you get. It’s to pause when money, access, or sensitive info is involved, and verify before you act.
Before You Hit Pay, Stop and Check
1. Pause when something feels urgent
Urgency isn’t proof something’s legitimate. In fact, urgency is a good reason to slow down.
2. Verify through a different channel
- Don’t confirm a suspicious request by replying to the same email or message.
- If a supplier emails new bank details, call them on a number you already trust.
- If your boss sends an odd payment request over chat, go talk to them directly.
Never use the contact details in the suspicious request to verify the request itself.
3. Check what’s changed
Look for changes to:
- Bank account details
- Beneficiary name
- Payment amount
- Payment purpose
- Country or currency
- Contact details
- Payment instructions
4. Separate payment initiation from approval
Where you can, don’t let one person handle everything. Where practicable, consider having an independent second check or approval for higher-risk or changed payment instructions.
This isn’t about distrusting your team. It’s about knowing anyone can be fooled, especially when a scam is convincing. A second pair of eyes can break the scammer’s chain.
5. Escalate when you’re unsure
You don’t need proof it’s a scam before asking for help. If something feels off, stop and get someone else to take a look.
If you suspect that your ANEXT Bank account has been compromised:
Contact us through our official contact form or hotline, report it to the relevant authorities, secure any compromised accounts or credentials, and keep all emails, messages, invoice and payment records.
Our hotline is 1800 268 8888 or (65) 6813 3688 from 9:00am – 6:00pm SGT, Monday to Friday except Public Holidays.
ScamShield Helpline: 1799 (available 24/7).
Alternatively, you can also temporarily suspend your account here. If you’re logged in to Online Banking, navigate to Company Profile > Temporary Account Suspension Request.
Please note that upon account suspension, all outgoing transfers including any scheduled recurring transfers will be suspended. You’ll still be able to log in to Online Banking to view your balances and perform administrative functions such as statement retrieval.
