Beware of phishing: Fraudsters impersonate real beneficiaries, trying to deviate payments

We would like to warn project coordinators and grant beneficiaries of fake phishing emails seemingly coming from beneficiaries, requesting payment of the pre-financing or intermediate payments to a bank account that is not the one of the real beneficiary. Such email addresses look very similar to the real ones but are being used by fraudsters.

To avoid becoming a victim of such fraud, please keep in mind the following:

- Always verify the transmission of bank account data (or changes to such data) of a beneficiary to whom you make payments via a second channel, with a trusted person at the beneficiary, in particular if the information comes via e-mail (that is easy to fake)

- Do not make any financial transaction unless you are certain of the bank account of the recipient

- Do not reply to fraudulent communication and ignore phishing messages

- Do not provide any personal information

- Inform your Granting Authority immediately

Horizon grants communication team.