BIFA has alerted trade members of e-mail scam as fraudsters pose as the IATA.

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has issued an alert about fake e-mails being sent to the trade association’s members, which make false requests for payments.

The e-mails appear to come from fraudsters posing as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and are being sent to freight forwarding companies worldwide.

One example of a fraudulent e-mail is headed: ‘IATA OUTSTANDING INVOICE’ and the text states: ‘there are some outstanding debt your company needs to pay International Air Transport Association (IATA), Kindly check your record/file and get back to us for payment procedure. Failure to read from your company for action may lead to sanctions taken.’

Director General Peter Quantrill said: “Members have reported e-mail demands for payments from IATA and indeed we have received a number of these at the Secretariat.  Most of the messages bear the usual tell-tale signs of a scam such as an address for IATA @gmail or @yahoo, however, some of the more deceptive scammers have managed to replicate @iata.org into the e-mail suffix.”

“Our advice to members is don't be taken in. The only payments made to IATA will be via a CASS account and unsubstantiated e-mails should be deleted immediately.”

Editor’s Note

Another tell-tale sign of a scam seems to be shocking English.