The No. 1 internet scam in the country could cost you more than just money; it could cost your job.
Nothing gets your attention like an email from your boss asking you to do something pronto.
"It looked like my email, asking my billing clerk to wire transfer $8,000 to pay an invoice," said Don Sanders, owner of Nighline Express Inc.
Sanders was out of the country and didn't send the email. And his billing clerk didn't notice one letter was off in Sanders' email address.
"They will trick them into sending a wire transfer, thinking they're paying the supplier when in fact the money is going to a scammer," said Andrew Ryder, a supervisor special agent with the FBI.
Scammers get inside information about the company by infiltrating firewalls or simply checking the social media accounts of upper management.
"They can get the tone of the email down and know these things happen on certain days of the week," Ryder said.
The FBI says this con is the No. 1 internet fraud they're currently investigating. It's hit all 50 states, and more than 100 countries — looting a total of $3 billion dollars.
"The small corporations are being hit. Mom-and-pop companies around town are being hit," said Ryder.
In Missouri, more than 50 businesses like Sanders' have been hit. But thanks to extra vigilance from his bank, no money was sent. That didn't mean the scammers gave up though.
"That individual kept following up throughout the day, even hitting up [the billing clerk's] assistant the following morning saying 'She didn't do it, I need this done.' And it was kind of a mean email to make sure it got done," said Sanders.
The FBI says catching crooks who are this tenacious is nearly impossible because they're often overseas.
"When a wire transfer goes out we've had success getting the money back but it is very difficult to track these people down when these actors are overseas," said Ryder.
So what can you do? If you're a victim of this internet scam or any other, report what happened on the FBI website. That info will be studied along with other complaints by investigators looking for a pattern which sometimes results in catching the bad guy.
But near-victim Sanders is skeptical.
"Do you think they'll be successful in catching any of these scammers that have tried to take you down?" we asked.
"No I don't, that's why I think everyone has to watch themselves," said Sanders.
The FBI also advises employees follow their company's internal guidelines for sending money, especially wire transfers to suppliers. A phone call to your boss may be the best way to prevent being on the hook for what could be a lot of money.
