Business managers have been issued with a warning of a likely upsurge in attempts to defraud their companies in the coming weeks.
Small business group ISME has given details of the nature of more sophisticated scams being operated by criminals.
The group says unsuspecting businesses are falling prey to bogus offers, fraudulent letters from Revenue and bogus invoices for internet directories.
ISME says that the increasingly sophisticated swindles - particularly over the internet - have the potential to cost millions to Irish business.
A recent crime survey by the association found that two-thirds of businesses had been the target of a potential fraud in the past year.
ISME is warning that the incidence of these scams increases during the summer holiday period as fraudsters take advantage of the fact that senior management may be away on annual leave.
It recommends that at least two senior staff be nominated to sign all invoices and that companies should never respond to internet requests for information about their business.
