ScamGator safety guides
Fake invoice scams: verify a bill before paying
A professional-looking invoice is a request for payment, not proof that a purchase was authorized.
Match the invoice to your records
Check the vendor, goods or service, amount and purchase approval against your own records. Ask the person who normally approves that expense before paying an unfamiliar bill.
Verify unexpected changes separately
If a message introduces a new bank account or urgent payment instruction, confirm it with the supplier using contact details already in your records. Do not let a reply within the same email chain substitute for independent verification.
A fictional example
“Our banking details changed today. Pay the attached overdue invoice to the new account immediately.”
Warning sign: a payment change arrives with pressure to bypass normal checks. Safer action: pause payment and call your established supplier contact.
Make verification routine
A small written approval checklist helps staff handle suspicious bills consistently. A scam checker can highlight pressure or unusual language, but it cannot confirm your purchase history or the ownership of a bank account.
Source and scope
Based on FTC: Pay your bills, not scammers. Published October 17, 2026. The example above is fictional. This guide is educational and does not establish whether a particular person or message is genuine.
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