Imagine getting an email from your own company telling you to transfer money to a vendor. It looks legitimate, the signature matches, and it uses the right company logo. But it didn’t come from you at all. That’s email spoofing, and it’s happening to small businesses every day.
What Spoofing Really Means
Spoofing is when criminals forge your “From” address so their email appears to come from you or someone inside your organization. It’s a favorite trick in phishing scams and payment fraud. The victim is more likely to click a link, open an attachment, or authorize a payment when they think the request is from a trusted source.
Why Small Businesses Are a Target
Attackers know that smaller companies are often visible enough to be recognized but may not have the same security measures as larger enterprises. Many don’t have advanced email authentication configured, which makes spoofing easier. The results can be costly: lost money, damaged reputation, and even legal issues if customer data is exposed.
The Three Keys to Stopping Spoofing
Email authentication standards may sound technical, but at their core they’re simple safeguards:
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SPF: A list that tells the world which servers are authorized to send email for your domain.
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DKIM: A digital signature that verifies the email hasn’t been altered in transit.
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DMARC: A set of instructions that tells email systems what to do if a message fails SPF or DKIM checks.
When these three work together, they make it much harder for a criminal to send fake email in your name.
How to Put Protection in Place
Most business email systems, like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, support SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Here’s how you can strengthen your defenses:
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Have your IT provider configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your domain.
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Monitor authentication reports so you know if someone is attempting to impersonate you.
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Train employees to double-check the sender’s address before acting on requests for money, passwords, or sensitive information.
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Review settings regularly to make sure new systems or vendors you use are included in your authorized senders list. That means any software or service that sends mail on behalf of your domain (eg. Quickbooks Online, which sends out quotes and invoices.)
How B’more Secure IT Can Help
We set up and maintain these protections so they work for your specific business needs. Our team can interpret the technical reports, alert you to any suspicious activity, and adjust your settings when your systems change. We also combine these technical defenses with employee awareness training so the people in your business can recognize and report suspicious emails.
Don’t Wait for the First Incident
Email remains the number one way attackers gain access to businesses. By putting these protections in place now, you make sure your name—and your business—aren’t being used as bait in someone else’s scam.