The International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has warned maritime professionals of the growing risk of payment-interception fraud after a local AP&I correspondent fell victim to an email scam, resulting in the loss of a $200,000 settlement intended for the family of a deceased seafarer.
The fraudster infiltrated email correspondence linked to a sensitive crew claim and successfully impersonated multiple stakeholders – including members of the deceased seafarer’s family – using convincing fake email addresses and forged documents.
Believing the communications to be genuine, the correspondent transferred the full $200,000 settlement to the bank account provided by the impostor. The scam was only discovered when the family later contacted the correspondent to ask why the money had not been received. By that time, the funds had already been withdrawn and were impossible to recover.
ITIC said the correspondent was forced to pay the $200,000 settlement a second time from its own funds. ITIC subsequently reimbursed the member for the loss.
ITIC is warning that such scams often target high-value, time-sensitive and emotionally complex claims. The insurer is urging correspondents and shipowners to treat any changes to bank details as a major red flag and to verify payment instructions through secure, multi-channel communication, using independently sourced contact details rather than relying solely on email.
