---
title: "Discussion on \"One Email Cost Businesses $3 Billion Last Year. It Didn't Need a Single Hacking Tool.\" | Hashnode"
description: "Discussion on \"One Email Cost Businesses $3 Billion Last Year. It Didn't Need a Single Hacking Tool.\". A convincing email asking someone to send money to the wrong place was enough, no malware, no stolen password, no breach in the technical sense at all."
url: "https://hashnode.com/posts/one-email-cost-businesses-3-billion-last-year-it-didn-t-need-a-single-hacking-tool/6a8af1d2a756e4a80cf1f992"
---

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# [One Email Cost Businesses $3 Billion Last Year. It Didn't Need a Single Hacking Tool.](https://shortlivedage.hashnode.dev/one-email-cost-businesses-3-billion-last-year-it-didn-t-need-a-single-hacking-tool?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

A convincing email asking someone to send money to the wrong place was enough, no malware, no stolen password, no breach in the technical sense at all.

Aug 23 · 3 min read · shortlivedage.hashnode.dev  
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-   [#technology](https://hashnode.com/tag/technology)
-   [#cybersecurity](https://hashnode.com/tag/cybersecurity)
-   [#fraud](https://hashnode.com/tag/fraud)
-   [#practicaltech](https://hashnode.com/tag/practicaltech)

## Written by

[Short Lived](https://hashnode.com/@shortlivedage)

@shortlivedage

  
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## Responses 1

Markdown supported · ⌘↵ to post

[Ali Tahir](https://hashnode.com/@ali-tahir)

[Oct 6](https://hashnode.com/posts/one-email-cost-businesses-3-billion-last-year-it-didn-t-need-a-single-hacking-tool/6a8af1d2a756e4a80cf1f992/comment/6ac4ee4d6a7efa0001893ac5)

Call-back verification is the right last line. One earlier layer worth adding: many BEC emails come from lookalike domains (one swapped character), so flagging mail from domains already known for phishing or brand impersonation stops a chunk before anyone has to make a call.

WhoisFreaks' Threat Intelligence Feed includes a daily phishing/impersonation domain list: whoisfreaks.com/products/threat-intelligence-feed