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Mandate Fraud

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Mandate Fraud

How does a typical Mandate Fraud occur?

Businesses are contacted by someone pretending to be one of their suppliers and told they have changed their bank, requesting they amend the direct debit to reflect this. The genuine supplier then gets in touch to ask what happened to the monthly payments.

  • Individuals are contacted by someone pretending to be from an organisation you have a mandate with and they ask you change it as they are changing their banking. Next month your products or services fail to arrive, as they did not receive their payment.
  • Online bank accounts are hacked into by fraudsters and monthly payment details are altered so that the money is transferred to the fraudster’s account.

Advice to avoid Mandate Fraud

Verify all invoices, as well as requests to change bank account details. To check a request is legitimate, contact the supplier directly using established contact details you have on file.

  • Access to sensitive financial information should be carefully controlled. Don’t dispose of confidential documents without shredding them first.
  • Check your bank statements regularly for any suspicious transactions. If you notice anything unusual, notify your bank immediately.

To report fraud or cyber crime, and for advice on how to avoid it visit www.actionfraud.police.uk

Ronna