Protecting clients from business email compromise
Published August 11, 2026
Cyber criminals are increasingly using trusted business email accounts to trick people into sharing sensitive information, clicking malicious or changing payment details.
Insurance professionals rely on email every day to communicate with clients, colleagues, insurers, service providers and other business partners. Because these relationships are built on trust, email accounts can become attractive targets for cyber criminals.
One common threat is business email compromise, sometimes called BEC. In this type of cyberattack, a criminal gains access to, or impersonates, a legitimate business email account. The message may appear to come from someone the recipient already knows, making the request seem authentic.
These emails may ask recipients to open a link or attachment, scan a QR code, provide confidential information, update account details or send payment to a new account. Because the email may come from a familiar name or organization, it is important to take care and verify the request before taking action.
Watch for these warning signs
Be cautious with emails that:
- use a generic greeting or unusual wording,
- create a sense of urgency or pressure to act quickly,
- ask you to click a link, open an unexpected attachment or scan a QR code,
- request confidential, personal or financial information,
- ask you to change payment instructions, banking information or contact details.
How to help protect your business and clients
Take a few simple steps to reduce risk:
- Use multi-factor authentication for business email accounts.
- Confirm unusual requests through a second method, such as a known phone number.
- Train staff to recognize suspicious emails and report them promptly.
- Keep email systems, devices and security tools up to date.
- Review email forwarding rules and account activity for signs of unauthorized access.
Email remains an important business tool, but it is also a common target for cyberattacks. A careful pause before responding can help protect your organization, your clients and the integrity of your business communications.