The National Crime Agency (NCA) and National Federation of Builders (NFB) have launched a joint campaign aimed at accounts payable professionals and finance personnel in the construction industry that highlights the risks of invoice fraud, a crime that costs businesses millions each year.

Invoice fraud is one of the most common and costly forms of financial crime affecting individuals, families and businesses.

The construction industry is especially vulnerable to invoice fraud because it relies on complex supply chains often involving contractors, sub-contractors, consultants and suppliers, frequent high value payments and reliance on emails to communicate payment instructions which criminals can compromise.

Invoice fraud happens when criminals deceive individuals and businesses into paying fake invoices or diverting a genuine payment into accounts controlled by fraudsters. Fraudsters can impersonate suppliers, intercept emails or send convincing invoices to generate immediate payments into their own accounts. The aim is to manipulate victims into transferring funds to the fraudsters instead of their legitimate destination.

https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/NCA+and+National+Federation+of+Builders+launch+campaign+to+protect+against+invoice+fraud+in+construction+27032026112500