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Invoice scams are used by fraudsters to steal money from individuals and businesses. They pretend to be a legitimate company or trader and request payment for items or services that will never be delivered, or cost far more than they normally should.
These scammers often use fake invoices designed to look legitimate, making it easy for unsuspecting victims to fall for the scam. Criminals may fraudulently invoice individuals or work accounts in the hopes of stealing money. They may claim that payment is overdue or that they will take legal action if payment is not made to make their target pay without question.
Once the payment is made, the fraudster disappears without a trace, leaving the victim out of pocket. Scammers may use the stolen payment details to commit identity theft, stealing even more money in the name of their victims.
Unexpected invoices should always be treated with caution – especially if they come from a person or company you do not normally deal with. If you receive an invoice out of the blue, take time to confirm the invoice is legitimate and look for any red flags.
Scammers may intercept or replicate real invoices and alter payment details. Always be cautious and verify that the sender and the invoice are legit.
Any invoice which demands immediate action should be treated with care. Scammers put pressure on their victims to act without double-checking the source.
Legitimate companies are highly unlikely to request payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency or cash. These payment methods are specifically chosen as they are difficult to track and recover.
Scammers often use fake identities or impersonate legitimate businesses to deceive victims. Before making any payments, take the time to research the company or individual contacting you.
PayPal invoice scams can be incredibly hard to spot because they truly are sent by PayPal. In a PayPal invoice scam, fraudsters use the real payment platform’s invoicing tool to send a counterfeit payment request.
Scammers use the seller note section to provide fake contact information to the victim. When the victims question the invoice, they are contacting the scammers themselves rather than PayPal.
Widely known as a phishing scam. Fraudsters send fake invoices and pretending to be legitimate companies or service providers.
These email scam invoices often contain urgent requests for payment or threats if the invoice is not paid immediately.
Scammers may use spoofed email addresses to impersonate trusted companies. They may even claim to be company directors or managers if targeted at work email addresses and phone numbers.
Impersonating Amazon and Apple is a popular tactic for scammers looking to trick unsuspecting victims. While the details of the scam may vary, a common strategy is for scammers to send a fake invoice for a product, claiming that the victim has ordered and is about to pay for the expensive item. These emails – often claiming to be invoices for MacBook’s or iPhone’s – are designed to look like a real purchase confirmation email from Amazon or Apple. They include the contact information of the scammer, so any attempt to cancel the order further exposes them to the fraudsters.
Once contacted, the scammer persuades the victim to hand over their real account details or banking information, under the impression that the scammer can help cancel the order.
In a phishing attack, scammers often claim that victims need to pay an invoice for a piece of computer software. They may claim that their target’s antivirus subscription has expired or warn that their computer has become infected.
Similar to Amazon and Apple invoice scams, these phishing attempts may include fake contact details, so victims looking to question the charge can speak to a real person. These fake details instead lead directly to the scammers themselves.
Scammers have a wide range of tools at their disposal to find and target their victims. Most often, invoice scammers rely on phishing emails and messages sent out either to random would-be victims, or to targets who have already had their data breached.
Those who have been involved in a data breach are likely to be targeted by fraudsters with specific information, including names, addresses, emails, phone numbers and potentially even bank account details.
Invoice scammers may also create fake websites designed to look identical to legitimate websites to steal account details.
Online scammers exploit the popularity of cryptocurrencies to steal money
Scammers often pose as banks, the police, government, or other trusted organisations
Fraudsters offer fake investment opportunities with promises of high returns
Criminals dupe victims into paying upfront for goods or services.
Online scammers exploit emotions, tricking victims into sending money
Victims unwittingly authorise payments, deceived by fake sellers in purchase scams
Individuals or businesses pay fake invoices, inadvertently sending funds to the scammer
Scammers offer work-from-home opportunities with up-front costs and withdrawal fees
Our team of recovery experts are on hand to help you get your money back.
