Scam Spotlight: Fake PayPal Invoices

Recently, DATCP received a number of reports from consumers who were targeted by PayPal scams. The consumers described receiving invoices and money requests through PayPal from people they did not recognize about purchases they did not make. In these scams, the requestor sometimes includes a note they hope will pressure you into sending money right away, and in other cases scammers send you an email invoice designed to look like a legitimate message from PayPal saying you recently purchased cryptocurrency, telecom services, or some other product. Occasionally, a fake customer service phone number is provided that, if called, connects you with the scammer.

Scammers try all sorts of variations of this scam to convince you to send them money, personal information, or private data such as bank account numbers or account login details. If a message is urgent, alarming, or scary, don’t react right away. Instead, pause to think about the situation, ask questions, and talk about the message with someone you trust.

If you receive suspicious or unexpected invoices or money requests, don’t pay! If you suspect it may be legitimate, check your own records to see if you made any purchases that match the description. Never open any links or use any contact information provided as part of these requests – instead, only use information found on PayPal’s official website. Verify whether a questionable message was truly sent by PayPal by contacting the company’s Help Center, also found on the official website.