Beware of Fake Invoices: Clever Scams Using Well-Known Brands

Scammers are aggressively using fake invoices purportedly from well-known companies to deceive people into paying for services they don’t owe. Fraudsters email or text fake billing notices impersonating brands like PayPal, Netflix, Amazon, Apple, utility providers and many more to steal money or harvest personal information. These scams can also direct victims to malicious sites, malicious attachments, or fake support numbers. With proper awareness, individuals can avoid falling for these malicious invoice scams.

How Fake Invoice Scams Work

The scammers either send a fake invoice directly via email or text message, or provide a link purporting to contain an invoice requiring payment. The emails or texts appear convincingly real, containing official branding and logos from the spoofed company.

The fake invoices claim you owe money for a subscription renewal, an automatic purchase made, an account charge, outstanding fees, or other services provided. The notices stress you must pay the invoice immediately to avoid account suspension or being sent to collections.

If you click any links, it takes you to phishing sites impersonating the brand’s actual website to steal login credentials or payment info through the illusion you’re paying an invoice. Other times it leads to malware downloads infecting devices.

Sometimes the emails or texts contain malicious attachments in common invoice formats like PDFs or Office docs. If downloaded and opened, they trigger malware installation on your device.

Alternatively, the notice may provide a customer support number to call for resolving the alleged unpaid invoice. However, the number connects to the scammer impersonating support staff. They trick you into providing bank account or credit card details to pay the fake invoice or “refund” you. Of course, they steal whatever financial information is provided.

The scammers bank on people panicking at the threat of collections or account suspension to rush into paying the fake invoice via phishing sites, malware installs, or phone calls. If recipients take a moment to scrutinize the messages, various red flags reveal themselves.

Common Red Flags of Fake Invoice Scams

While fake invoices can appear quite convincing on the surface, a close examination reveals abnormalities that should trigger suspicion:

• Services you don’t actually use – The invoice is for a subscription or service you know you don’t have nor every signed up for.
• Sender email address – While branding looks official, the sending address is not actually from the company (e.g. billing@payphal.com vs. paypal.com).
• Spelling/Grammar errors – Real invoices from corporates contain proper spelling and grammar throughout.
• Threatening urgent language – Aggressive tone insisting you’ll face dire consequences if unpaid.
• No user account specifics – Vague references to your account, profile or subscription details.
• No customer service contact info – Omission of real contact info or web links for the company.
• Direct bank/wire instructions – Real invoices provide formal online payment channels, not just account numbers.
• Attachment files from unknown sender – Downloading and opening unsolicited attachments can trigger malware.
• Shortened or obfuscated links – Hover to view the full malicious URL hidden behind a shortened or obscured link.

With a vigilant eye and skepticism, individuals can identify signs of fake invoices before falling victim.

Real-Life Fake Invoice Scam Examples

To provide an inside look at how four common fake invoice scams operate, here are real-life examples people have reported:

Fake PayPal Invoice Scam Email

PayPal is one of the brands most impersonated by scammers to lend credibility to their fake invoice emails. Below is an example:

Email subject: PayPal: You have an unpaid invoice. Update your information now

Email body: Dear Valued Customer,

Our records indicate you have an unpaid invoice from a recent PayPal purchase for $412.37. If this invoice remains unpaid, your account will be forwarded to collections and permanently limited.

Please download the attached invoice PDF below for full payment details. To retain uninterrupted access to your account, you must pay this invoice within 24 hours.

Thanks for your prompt attention to this matter.

The PayPal Team

Attachments: Invoice-983241.pdf

This email contains multiple red flags. It aggressively threatens account suspension and collections without specifics on the mystery purchase. PayPal provides user account specifics in its real emails. The email and attachment come from a non-PayPal address. And legitimate firms don’t make you urgently download PDFs to view invoices.

Fake Apple iCloud Invoice Text Scam

Scammers also use SMS texting to push fake invoices faster and more directly. This example spoofs Apple:

Text message: Apple Alert: Your Apple ID has been suspended for unpaid balance of $299.99 on recent purchase. Renew now via secure.apple.com/payinvoice712391 or your account will be terminated and device locked.

The text provides no order specifics and redirects to a fake, malware-laden Apple site to harvest your Apple ID credentials or payment information. Real Apple invoices come via the App Store app or email from verified Apple domains.

Fake Netflix Invoice Email Scam

Netflix is another popular brand for scammers to impersonate with fake invoice emails like this:

Email subject: Netflix: Your membership is on hold – Please update your payment details.

Email body: Dear Netflix Member,

Your access has been placed on hold due to a payment issue with your latest monthly Netflix membership charge of $17.99. You must update your payment details and restart your membership to regain access to Netflix streaming.

Go here immediately to update your payment details and restart your account:

http://netflix-billing.co/NFLX23541

If you do not update within 48 hours, your account will be deactivated. Please ensure your information is up to date in order to continue your Netflix membership uninterrupted.

The Netflix Billing Team

This email provides no specifics on the escalated “payment issue” yet threatens account deactivation within 48 hours if unpaid. And the link directs to a fake Netflix login via a sketchy URL. Real Netflix only communicates via your account and verified @netflix.com emails.

Fake Amazon Invoice Package Delivery Scam

Finally, a unique invoice scam variant involves fake Amazon delivery notices:

Email subject: Amazon: Action required – Reschedule delivery of your package

Email body: Hello Amazon Customer,

We could not deliver your recent Amazon order valued at $649.00 because you were not available to sign and accept the package. Please download the attached invoice PDF and call us immediately at the Amazon Logistics number listed so we can arrange redelivery and avoid return to sender.

Thank you for being an Amazon customer. We look forward to completing this delivery quickly so you can receive your order.

Sincerely,
The Amazon Logistics Team

Attachments: AmazonInvoice-9938491.pdf

This fake delivery notice pressures urgent action to avoid losing your valuable package. However, real Amazon emails provide order specifics like item, date, and tracking number, which this one lacks. The real red flag is the invoice attachment from an unknown sender – a classic malware vector.

These and endless variants demonstrate the creative ways scammers impersonate trusted brands with fake billing and account notices. Stay vigilant when receiving invoices and alerts out of the blue demanding payment.

How to Avoid Falling For Fake Invoice Scams

These tips can help protect you from becoming a victim of fake invoice scams:

• Verify sender’s email – Inspect that the sender email matches the company’s real domain (i.e. @amazon.com).
• Check for your specifics – Real invoices contain your name, account numbers, order details, etc. Generic vagueness indicates fraud.
• Search company fraud alerts – Check company websites or social media fraud warnings about current invoice scams circulating.
• Contact official customer support – Call or email the company through known channels to validate questionable invoices. Don’t rely on contact info provided in the suspect invoice.
• Hover over hyperlinks – Hover to preview the full URL behind any shortlinks or blue underlined text to reveal phishing sites. Never click links from unverified senders.
• Ignore suspicious attachments – Attachments from unknown senders often contain malware. Real billing notices provide invoice copies safely via your account dashboard.
• Use security software – Install antivirus software to block phishing attempts and detect malicious attachments or downloads.
• Don’t panic or rush – Scammers want you to act impulsively out of fear. Slow down and verify.
• Report fake invoices as spam/fraud – Whether via email, text or phone, report scam attempts to the impersonated company, mobile provider, regulators etc. to protect others.

What To Do If You’ve Fallen Victim to a Fake Invoice Scam

If you discover you’ve mistakenly paid a fraudulent invoice or provided personal information, take these steps to minimize damage:

• Contact your bank/credit card company – Immediately notify your bank and/or credit card provider if you paid a fake invoice. Request to reverse the charges and get new account numbers reissued.
• Place fraud alerts – Contact credit agencies to place fraud alerts on your credit files so no new accounts can be opened without verification.
• Reset account passwords – If you entered credentials into phishing sites, reset passwords for those accounts to lock out scammers.
• Scan your device – Run a scan with Malwarebytes to detect and remove any malware that may have been installed from scam emails or sites.
• Report it – File reports about the scam with the FTC, IC3, BBB, and the impersonated company’s fraud department. Provide details to aid investigations.
• Monitor statements – Review bank and credit card statements daily for signs of any further unauthorized charges for months after the scam.
• Be wary of “recovery” scams – Fraudsters sometimes reach back out posing as investigators to help recover lost money, then scam you again. Avoid paying anyone upfront fees to get stolen money back.

By acting quickly, you can limit the damage from any successful scam attempts and prevent yourself from being victimized further. Don’t let embarrassment or fear about what happened prevent you from taking action to protect yourself.

Is Your Device Infected? Check for Malware

If your device is running slowly or acting suspicious, it may be infected with malware. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is a great option for scanning your device and detecting potential malware or viruses. The free version can efficiently check for and remove many common infections.  

Malwarebytes can run on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Depending on which operating system is installed on the device you’re trying to run a Malwarebytes scan, please click on the tab below and follow the displayed steps.

The most important rule is to proactively verify the legitimacy of any invoices directly with the company in question before providing any personal information or payment. Exercise caution and due diligence, and these scam artists can’t invoice you for anything.