How Scammers Try to Steal Payroll

Protecting payroll is part of protecting your business. When employee pay is disrupted, trust is disrupted. In this episode, Brian Bride, Director of Payroll Operations at YPD, explains two payroll scams that have become more common for small businesses:

1. Email impersonation
Someone posing as an employee emails the payroll admin and requests a direct deposit change.

2. Account takeovers inside employee self-service portals
A scammer accesses an employee’s payroll account and reroutes the paycheck to a fintech bank account where funds can be withdrawn quickly.

Brian breaks down how these scams work and what business owners can do to prevent losses.
This includes:

• Using text or authenticator app MFA (not email codes)

• Confirming direct deposit changes by phone

• Watching for language that does not sound like your employees (such as references to “ACH” or “effective date”)

• Being aware of fintech accounts that release deposits early, which can allow funds to disappear before the issue is noticed

The goal is straightforward: keep payroll secure and ensure your team gets paid correctly, every time.

For all our business resources, visit the Kaizen + YPD Resource Center.