SAIF members advised to be cyber aware

SAIF has learnt from Associate Member Oak Technology that some funeral suppliers, particularly Mortuary Suppliers, seem to be being targeted by hackers who are intercepting emails and then contacting the customers (funeral directors) and advising them that there has been a change in bank details, or they receive an amended invoice with different bank details.

One funeral director has paid in excess of £10,000 and the hacker emails originated from Texas, US and another contacted us today and had an email asking for in excess of £30,000 to be settled (which was a valid amount they owed the supplier) and these emails originated from Nigeria.  Fortunately this one didn’t pay.

Remember, if you’re in any doubt – pick up the phone and confirm details with the supplier as it could be that any emails are untrustworthy. Simon Richardson from Oak Technology recommends SAIF members speak with their staff and take the approach that “everything as suspicious”.

He explains that it’s not only the funeral sector that is suffering from this type of scam. There are well publicised cases from the financial and law sectors, but as mortuary supplier invoices tend to be large, they seem to be a particular target at the moment.

Simon advises SAIF members to contact their IT supplier for Cyber Awareness training.