Danon Computers blog
Encino Business Email Security: Stopping Wire Fraud Before It Starts
Encino business email security matters most on the day a client wires money. Law offices, escrow teams, and wealth managers along Ventura Boulevard move large sums by email, and criminals know it.
How a wire fraud email actually works
The FBI calls it business email compromise. A criminal either breaks into a real mailbox or registers a look-alike domain, then waits. When a closing, settlement, or distribution is near, a message arrives with “updated” bank instructions. The tone is right, the signature is right, and the deadline is tight.
Nothing about it looks like a virus. No attachment needs to open. That is why ordinary antivirus does not catch it, and why careful people still get fooled.
Five settings that close most of the gaps
- Turn on multi-factor sign-in for every mailbox, including shared and former-employee accounts.
- Publish SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records so others cannot easily send mail as your domain.
- Block automatic forwarding to outside addresses. Attackers love quiet forwarding rules.
- Flag messages from outside the firm with a visible banner.
- Alert an administrator when someone signs in from a new country or adds an inbox rule.
The callback rule
Technology helps, but one habit stops more fraud than any filter: never act on payment instructions that arrive by email alone. Call the person back at a number you already had, not one printed in the message. Write that rule into your engagement letters so clients expect it, and train every assistant to use it.
What to say to clients
Keep it simple: “We will never change wiring instructions by email. If you get a message that says otherwise, call us before sending anything.” Put it in the email signature and the welcome packet.
If money has already gone out
Speed matters. Call your bank and ask for a recall right away, then file a report with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. Change the affected passwords, remove any strange inbox rules, and keep the original messages for investigators. Do not delete anything.
Why this matters in a neighborhood like this one
Encino grew up around a spring and a stand of oaks now preserved at Los Encinos State Historic Park. Today the busiest part of the community is a few blocks of offices along Ventura Boulevard, full of attorneys, CPAs, and advisors who handle other people’s money every week. That concentration of trusted firms is exactly what makes the area attractive to fraud crews.
For day-to-day support, see our managed IT page for Encino or the wider list of communities we cover. Serving Los Angeles since 1998, we set these protections up and check them every month.
A quick monthly check
Good Encino business email security is not a one-time project. Once a month, someone should review new inbox rules, sign-ins from unusual places, and any mailbox that suddenly sends far more mail than normal. It takes less than an hour for a small office and catches most takeovers early, often before a single fake invoice goes out.
- Review sign-in alerts and confirm each one
- Look for new forwarding or delete rules
- Confirm former staff accounts are still blocked
Common questions
Is Microsoft 365 secure enough on its own?
It can be, but many protective settings are off by default. Someone has to turn them on and review the alerts.
Do we need a new email system?
Rarely. Most offices only need the settings above and a few hours of cleanup.
How do we get a quick review?
Ask for an IT assessment and we will check your mail settings first.