Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity & Fraud Protection for Businesses

Civista Bank

October 20, 2026

Protecting Your Business from Cyber Threats & Payment Fraud:

What's Changed and How to Stay a Step Ahead

Running a business means wearing a lot of hats, and security is one that's easy to push to the bottom of the list. But today's fraudsters aren't just after big corporations. They're targeting local businesses with convincing emails, altered checks, and fake payment requests that can look exactly like the real thing.

The good news: a few smart habits, paired with the right tools from your bank, go a long way. Below, we'll walk through what today's threats look like, the red flags to watch for, and how Civista's Treasury Management team can help add a layer of protection to your accounts.

Key Takeaways:

Email scams cost the most. Business email compromise, where a scammer poses as a boss or vendor to redirect a payment, is one of the costliest threats businesses face.
Checks are still a target. Paper checks remain the payment type most often hit by fraud, so businesses that write checks need extra safeguards.
Polished isn't proof. AI tools help scammers write flawless emails and even mimic voices, so typos are no longer a reliable warning sign.
Verify before you pay. Any new or changed payment instruction should be confirmed with a phone call to a number you already know.
Your bank can help. Tools like Positive Pay and fraud alerts help you catch suspicious activity before it becomes a loss.

What Today's Threats Look Like

Cybercrime keeps growing, and much of it is aimed squarely at how businesses move money. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, businesses reported more than $3 billion in losses to business email compromise in 2025, second only to investment fraud. Meanwhile, a 2026 survey from the Association for Financial Professionals found that 58% of organizations experienced check fraud, more than ACH or wire fraud.

Business email compromise. A scammer impersonates an owner, manager, or trusted vendor and asks for an urgent wire or a change to payment details. Most of these losses happen through wire transfers.
Business email compromise. A scammer impersonates an owner, manager, or trusted vendor and asks for an urgent wire or a change to payment details. Most of these losses happen through wire transfers.
Unauthorized ACH debits. Fraudsters use stolen account details to pull money through electronic debits that can go unnoticed until statements are reviewed.
AI-powered impersonation. Scammers now use AI to write convincing emails at scale and, in some cases, imitate a familiar voice on the phone.
Phishing. Fake emails and texts designed to steal passwords remain the most commonly reported type of cybercrime, and they're often the first step in a bigger scheme.

Red Flags to Watch For

Scams have gotten more polished, so the warning signs have shifted. Instead of looking for spelling mistakes, look at what the message is asking you to do and how it's asking.

Urgency and secrecy. Pressure to act right now, skip the usual process, or keep a request quiet is a classic manipulation tactic.
Changed payment instructions. A vendor who suddenly has a new bank account, or a request to send payroll to a different account, deserves a second look every time.
Look-alike email addresses. Check the sender carefully. For example, johndoe@gmall.com swaps the "i" in gmail for a lowercase "l.".
Unusual payment methods. Requests for gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a wire to an unfamiliar account are strong signs something is off.
Calls that feel slightly wrong. If a familiar voice asks for money or account details in an unusual way, hang up and call back on a number you already have.

Learn more in our Phishing and Smishing Prevention Tips.

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Everyday Habits That Protect Your Business

Strong security doesn't have to be complicated. These habits cost little or nothing and close many of the doors scammers try first.

Verify every payment charge. Set a simple rule : any new or changed payment instruction gets confirmed by phone, using a number from your records, not one in the email.
Turn on multi-factor authentication. Require a second step, like a code or app approval, for email, banking, and any system that holds sensitive data.
Use long passphrases. Current guidance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology favors long, unique passphrases over short, complex ones. A password manager makes this easy, and passwords should be changed right away if there's any sign of compromise.
Keep devices updated. Turn on automatic updates and keep antivirus software current on every company computer and phone.
Train your team. Short, regular refreshers on spotting phishing and verifying requests help your employees become your first line of defense.

Add a Layer of Protection with Treasury Management

Good habits matter, but the right banking tools can catch what slips through. Civista's Treasury Management team works with local businesses to set up services that flag suspicious activity before money leaves your account.

Positive Pay. You share a list of the checks you've issued, and any check that doesn't match is flagged for your review before it's paid. It's one of the most effective defenses against altered and counterfeit checks.
ACH Positive Pay. Review incoming electronic debits and approve only the companies you expect, so unauthorized ACH withdrawals are stopped before they post.
Fraud Alerts. Get notified about unusual account activity so you can act quickly if something doesn't look right.
Dual approval for payments. Require a second person to approve wires and ACH payments in Business Digital Banking, so one compromised inbox can't move money on its own.

Staying a Step Ahead, Together

Fraudsters keep changing their tactics, but a few consistent habits and the right safeguards make your business a much harder target. You don't have to figure it out alone. Our Treasury Management team is right here in the community and happy to walk through where your business may be exposed and which tools fit the way you work.

Ready to strengthen your defenses? Connect with a member of our Treasury Management Team.