You set it. You forget it. You’re halfway packed for that family trip to Brown County or a long weekend in Michigan, and your inbox starts firing off this message:
“Hi there! I’m out of the office until [date]. For urgent matters, please contact [coworker’s name and e-mail].”
Harmless, right?
Not so fast.
Here in Central Indiana, where many small businesses and medical offices are close-knit teams, that auto-reply could be the perfect setup for a cybercriminal. It quietly tells bad actors everything they need to know to launch a phishing or impersonation attack—and you won’t even see it coming.
Let’s unpack it.
A typical out-of-office message includes:
- Your name and title
- Dates you’re unavailable
- Alternate contact (with full email address)
- Team structure insights
- Even why you’re out (“I’m attending a conference in Chicago…”)
This gives attackers two major advantages:
- They know when you’re offline and won’t notice anything strange.
- They know exactly who to impersonate and target.
Now they can set up a “business email compromise” scam—commonly used in Indiana to request urgent wire transfers, passwords, or sensitive documents.
Here’s How It Plays Out (and Yes, This Happens in Carmel)
Step 1: You go on vacation.
Step 2: A hacker spoofs your email or your alternate contact’s.
Step 3: An “urgent” request goes to your bookkeeper or office admin.
Step 4: They act fast, trusting the sender.
Step 5: You return to find $45,000 gone—or worse, your patient records exposed.
This is especially risky for Indiana businesses where:
- Executives travel frequently.
- Admins or assistants regularly manage emails or financials.
- Fast responses are expected, and internal trust is high.
How to Protect Your Carmel-Area Business from OOO Email Exploits
Keep it vague.
No need to broadcast your travel plans or who’s covering for you.
Try: “I’m currently out of the office and will respond upon return. For immediate assistance, please contact our main office at [main phone or email].”
Train your team.
Everyone should know:
- Never act on sensitive requests via email alone.
- Always verify via a second method—call, text, or face-to-face.
Use proper email security tools.
Advanced filters, spoofing protection, and domain monitoring can block impersonation attempts before they reach your inbox.
Enable MFA on all email accounts.
Multifactor authentication is non-negotiable. It adds a second layer of protection—even if someone gets a password.
Work with a proactive IT partner.
At PropellerHeads, we monitor login attempts, phishing threats, and abnormal activity across networks in Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, and the greater Indy area. We catch the red flags before your team ever sees them.
Want to Vacation Without Becoming a Hacker’s Next Target?
We help Indiana businesses protect their inboxes, their data, and their downtime. Let’s assess your risk before your next auto-reply goes live.
Book your FREE Security Assessment today.
We’ll help you travel with confidence—and come home to good news, not breach alerts.
