Your Out-of-Office Reply Might Be a Hacker’s Favorite Email

You've been planning that beach getaway for months. Before you head out, you set your out-of-office email:

"Hi there! I'm out until [date]. For urgent matters, contact [coworker's name and email]."

Helpful? Sure.
Harmless? Not quite.

That innocent little message you just set up? It might be exactly what a hacker's been waiting for.

What Cybercriminals See in Your Auto-Reply

That OOO message tells folks:

• Who you are and what you do
• When you'll be gone
• Who's in charge while you're out
• Sometimes even where you're going

To a cybercriminal, that's a blueprint for a scam.

They now know:

1. You're offline and probably not checking messages.
2. Exactly who to impersonate and who to target next.

And just like that, they've got everything they need to launch a Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack.

Here's How It Plays Out

1. Your auto-reply goes out.
2. A scammer copies your style and pretends to be you (or your backup).
3. An "urgent" email lands in someone's inbox—asking for a wire transfer, a password, or a sensitive file.
4. The coworker, thinking it's you, acts fast.
5. You come back from vacation to find $45,000 sent to a fake vendor.

And no, this isn't just a worst-case scenario—it happens more than folks like to admit.

Traveling Teams Are Prime Targets

If your business has traveling execs, sales reps, or admins fielding messages while someone's away, it's an open door for scammers. Why?

• Admins are juggling messages from multiple people.
• They're often trusted with sensitive info and fast decisions.
• And they don't expect "urgent" messages to be fake—especially from someone they trust.

One crafty email is all it takes.

How to Keep Auto-Replies From Becoming Attack Vectors

Here's how to outsmart the scammers—without ditching your OOO message altogether:

1. Keep It Vague

No need to list your travel plans or who's covering you. Just say:

"I'm currently out of the office and will respond when I return. For immediate needs, please contact our main line at [main contact info]."

2. Train Your Team to Be Skeptical

Remind them:

• Never act on financial or sensitive requests via email alone.
• Always confirm unusual asks through a second method—like a quick phone call.

3. Use Better Email Security Tools

Set up:

• Anti-spoofing filters
• Domain protection (so nobody can fake your address)
• Intelligent email threat detection

4. Turn on MFA Everywhere

Multi-factor authentication stops many hackers in their tracks—even if they have a password.

5. Work With a Watchful IT Partner

You need someone who monitors login attempts, flags weird activity, and shuts down threats before they become disasters.

Want a Vacation That Doesn't End With a Cyber Headache?

We help business owners build smarter, safer systems—so you can relax while your tech stays on guard.

👉 [Book Your FREE Security Assessment Here]

We'll check your systems for gaps and help you close them before scammers can sneak in. That way, the only surprise waiting for you when you get back is a sunburn and a full inbox—not a security breach.You've been planning that beach getaway for months. Before you head out, you set your out-of-office email:

"Hi there! I'm out until [date]. For urgent matters, contact [coworker's name and email]."

Helpful? Sure.
Harmless? Not quite.

That innocent little message you just set up? It might be exactly what a hacker's been waiting for.

What Cybercriminals See in Your Auto-Reply

That OOO message tells folks:

• Who you are and what you do
• When you'll be gone
• Who's in charge while you're out
• Sometimes even where you're going

To a cybercriminal, that's a blueprint for a scam.

They now know:

1. You're offline and probably not checking messages.
2. Exactly who to impersonate and who to target next.

And just like that, they've got everything they need to launch a Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack.

Here's How It Plays Out

1. Your auto-reply goes out.
2. A scammer copies your style and pretends to be you (or your backup).
3. An "urgent" email lands in someone's inbox—asking for a wire transfer, a password, or a sensitive file.
4. The coworker, thinking it's you, acts fast.
5. You come back from vacation to find $45,000 sent to a fake vendor.

And no, this isn't just a worst-case scenario—it happens more than folks like to admit.

Traveling Teams Are Prime Targets

If your business has traveling execs, sales reps, or admins fielding messages while someone's away, it's an open door for scammers. Why?

• Admins are juggling messages from multiple people.
• They're often trusted with sensitive info and fast decisions.
• And they don't expect "urgent" messages to be fake—especially from someone they trust.

One crafty email is all it takes.

How to Keep Auto-Replies From Becoming Attack Vectors

Here's how to outsmart the scammers—without ditching your OOO message altogether:

1. Keep It Vague

No need to list your travel plans or who's covering you. Just say:

"I'm currently out of the office and will respond when I return. For immediate needs, please contact our main line at [main contact info]."

2. Train Your Team to Be Skeptical

Remind them:

• Never act on financial or sensitive requests via email alone.
• Always confirm unusual asks through a second method—like a quick phone call.

3. Use Better Email Security Tools

Set up:

• Anti-spoofing filters
• Domain protection (so nobody can fake your address)
• Intelligent email threat detection

4. Turn on MFA Everywhere

Multi-factor authentication stops many hackers in their tracks—even if they have a password.

5. Work With a Watchful IT Partner

You need someone who monitors login attempts, flags weird activity, and shuts down threats before they become disasters.

Want a Vacation That Doesn't End With a Cyber Headache?

We help business owners build smarter, safer systems—so you can relax while your tech stays on guard.

👉 [Book Your FREE Security Assessment Here]

We'll check your systems for gaps and help you close them before scammers can sneak in. That way, the only surprise waiting for you when you get back is a sunburn and a full inbox—not a security breach.