Cybersecurity for contractors who don’t have an IT department

Protection for general contractors, plumbers, electricians, and other trades of 1 to 9 people, built around the threats that hit job payments, bids, and job files.

Your job runs on phones, email, and payments

You’re on job sites all day. Bids go out by email, supplier invoices come in by text, and customer deposits move through apps you set up in a hurry. That speed is what keeps the work moving, and it’s also what scammers count on.

What’s happening right now

The most common hit on small contractors is payment fraud. A supplier or subcontractor sends an invoice with new bank details, or an email that looks like it came from your lumber yard or electrical supplier asks you to pay a balance to a different account. When you’re on a roof or under a sink, a quick reply looks like the normal way to get things done.

Impersonation is another common route. Fake bid requests, fake permit or inspection notices, and emails that look like they came from a homeowner or property manager can all carry malicious links or pull you into a fraudulent payment.

Ransomware is a real risk too. Job files, estimates, plans, and photos are often stored on one laptop or in one shared folder, and a single infected device can lock them all.

The lesson: a new bank account, a rushed payment, or a link you didn’t expect is a reason to call and check, not a reason to hurry.

Four habits that close the most common gaps

1. Verify every payment change by phone. If a supplier, sub, or customer sends new bank details, call them at a number you already have saved. Don’t reply to the email or use the number in it.

2. Confirm bids, invoices, and permit notices before you click. Check the sender’s address, and if a message asks you to log in or open a link, go to the official site directly instead.

3. Turn on multifactor authentication for email, banking, and job software. That includes your accounting tool, scheduling and invoicing apps, and any site where you accept customer payments. Many contractors protect email and forget the rest.

4. Back up job files somewhere you can restore them. Keep a copy of estimates, plans, and photos off the device they were made on, and test that you can open them. Remove crew and subcontractor access to job folders when a job or contract ends.

Six Threats:
Learn how to spot them

Payment Redirection / Invoice Fraud

A supplier or sub sends new bank details right before a payment is due.
A “revised” invoice arrives with a different account and a request to pay today.
The sender’s email domain is one character off from the one you’ve used before.

Phishing / Fake Bids and Permit Notices

A bid request or permit notice asks you to open a link or log in to view documents.
A message from a known supplier or customer comes from an address that’s close, but not the same.
Urgent demands to pay a fee or confirm details to keep a job or permit moving.

Ransomware

Estimates, plans, or job photos renamed or locked without warning.
Antivirus or backup software turned off without anyone doing it.
Large amounts of data sent from your devices to places you don’t recognize.

Insider Threats / Access Control

Logins to your banking, accounting, or job software from places you’ve never been.
Two logins too far apart in time to be the same person.
Password reset emails for accounts you didn’t request.

Credential Compromise

Logins to your load board, TMS, or fleet portal from places you’ve never been.
Two logins too far apart in time to be the same person.
Password reset emails for accounts you didn’t request.

Third-Party / Vendor Compromise

A payment, scheduling, or invoicing app reports unusual activity in its system.
A sub or outside estimator asks for access to your files outside the normal process.
A login request arrives by text or email instead of through the app you normally use.