You’ve finally got the truck packed, the kids are loaded up with snacks, and the dog’s asleep in the back seat. You’re heading to the Hill Country for some much-needed downtime. And while you’re checking off your mental list, thermos, charger, fishing gear you hit “activate” on your email’s autoreply:
“Hi there! I’m out of the office until [date]. For anything urgent, reach out to [coworker’s name] at [email address]. Thanks!”
Feels tidy, right? Responsible. Professional.
Except… that message just turned your inbox into a cybercriminal’s treasure map.
Why Hackers Love Out-of-Office Replies?
Here’s the deal: that friendly little autoresponder you set up before vacation? It’s leaking info you probably didn’t mean to share. Most auto-replies include:
- Your full name and title
- Dates you're away (a big green light for hackers)
- Alternate contact info
- Hints about your internal team structure
- Sometimes even where you’re going (“I’m attending a tradeshow in Chicago…”)
Now think like a scammer for a second.
You know someone’s out of pocket. You know who they work with. And you’ve just been handed names, roles, and contact info. That’s all you need to cook up a very convincing impersonation.
And that’s exactly what they do.
How the Scam Usually Goes Down
Let’s walk through a typical hit:
Step 1: Autoreply goes out.
Step 2: Scammer impersonates you or your backup contact. Often using a lookalike email address.
Step 3: “Urgent” request is sent, maybe it’s for a wire transfer, login credentials, or a sensitive file.
Step 4: A coworker pressured by the urgency acts fast without verifying.
Step 5: Boom. $45,000 gone. Or worse customer data compromised.
This happens more frequently than you might think, and it is even riskier for businesses that travel.
Travel + Trust = Trouble
If your business involves a lot of travel for sales reps, executives, and tech crews this risk goes way up. Why you ask?
Because someone else is often covering communications while the traveler’s out. Usually a personal assistant, office admin, or operations coordinator. These folks are fast-moving, multi-tasking pros. But they’re also used to just getting things done and cybercriminals know it. They’ll send:
- “Can you wire this vendor $12,000 before noon?”
- “Please send me the updated client file this can’t wait.”
- “Here’s the new routing number for the parts order use this today.”
Looks legit. Sounds urgent. One click, and the damage is done.
How to Lock It Down
Now, I’m not saying never use an OOO reply. But let’s get smarter about it. Here’s how to keep it clean and your business protected:
- Keep It Vague, Keep It Safe
Leave out the details. Seriously.
Bad example:
“I'm attending the Oil & Gas Expo in San Antonio. For immediate help, contact James at james.smith@yourdomain.com.”
Better example:
“I’m currently out of the office and will reply when I return. For immediate needs, contact our main line at (XXX) XXX-XXXX.”
The less you say, the less ammo you give a hacker.
- Train Your Team to Spot a Fake
Don’t assume common sense is common knowledge. Make sure your folks know:
- Never act on money or data requests from email alone
- Always verify anything weird with a second channel (like a phone call)
- Question urgency especially if it feels out of character
One 15-minute training session can save you six figures.
- Use Security Tools That Actually Work
If you haven’t had your email security stack reviewed in a while, now’s the time. You need:
- Anti-spoofing protection (so people can’t send emails that look like they’re from you)
- Advanced spam filters
- AI-based phishing detection
- Domain monitoring to catch copycats
These aren’t “nice-to-haves” anymore. They’re basic cybersecurity.
- MFA Everything
Multifactor Authentication (MFA) might be annoying… but not as annoying as losing $60K because someone guessed a password. If you haven’t rolled it out across every account, that’s your low-hanging fruit right there.
- Partner With a Proactive IT Team
Let’s be real most of this isn’t something your average employee can handle. And Bob the IT guy can only do so much between help desk tickets.
A proactive IT and cybersecurity partner monitors behavior, flags weird login patterns, and shuts down threats before they do real damage.
Want to Vacation Without Coming Back to a Digital Dumpster Fire?
We help businesses just like yours lock down the gaps so you can take that vacation without worrying your inbox is playing hokey pokey with a bunch of scammers.
Click here to book a Free Cybersecurity Assessment
We’ll check your systems, review your auto-replies, and point out the cracks before the hackers find them.
