Spot the Fake PayPal Invoice Email & Avoid Scams
The fake PayPal invoice scam involves criminals sending convincing-looking emails or notifications that appear to be legitimate PayPal invoices for goods or services you never ordered. Their goal is to panic you into taking action, either by calling a fake support number to "cancel" the transaction, clicking a malicious link, or even sending money directly. This scam aims to steal your personal information, financial details, or your money.
How This Scam Works
Scammers send an email or in-app notification disguised as a legitimate PayPal invoice for a product or service you didn't purchase (e.g., an expensive gadget, software subscription, or cryptocurrency).
The invoice often includes a fake customer service number, urging you to call immediately to 'cancel' the unauthorized charge. It might also include a link to a fraudulent website designed to look like PayPal.
If you call the fake number, the scammer, pretending to be PayPal support, will ask for your personal information, login credentials, or even remote access to your computer to 'resolve' the issue. Alternatively, they might instruct you to send them money directly to 'refund' the fake charge.
Complying leads to your accounts being compromised, money stolen, or personal data exposed, which can be used for further identity theft.
Real Example
"Sarah received an email with the subject line 'Your PayPal Invoice for $799.99 - Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max'. The email looked authentic, displaying a PayPal logo and transaction details, stating the payment was pending. It urged her to call a specific 'PayPal Support' number within 24 hours to cancel the order before it shipped. Panicked, she almost called the number before noticing the sender's email was '[email protected]'."
⚠️ Warning Signs
You receive an invoice for an item or service you absolutely did not order or expect.
The email contains grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, or unusual formatting, despite appearing to be from PayPal.
The sender's email address is suspicious (e.g., not from a legitimate paypal.com domain, or a long string of random characters).
The email or invoice creates extreme urgency, pressuring you to act immediately to avoid a charge or consequence.
It asks you to call a phone number listed in the email/invoice to dispute or cancel the charge, rather than logging into your PayPal account directly.
Links in the email lead to unfamiliar websites that look like PayPal but have slightly different URLs (check carefully before clicking!).
What To Do If You Encounter This Scam
Do NOT click any links in the suspicious email or call any phone numbers listed in it.
Log in to your PayPal account directly through the official website (paypal.com) or the mobile app, not through any email links, to check for the invoice.
If the invoice isn't visible in your official PayPal account, it's fake. Mark the email as spam and delete it.
Forward the suspicious email to PayPal's dedicated scam reporting address: [email protected].
Already fell for it?
If you've clicked links, shared information, or sent money, immediately contact PayPal's official support and your bank or credit card company. Change your PayPal password and any other accounts using the same password, and monitor your financial statements for unauthorized activity.
Scamtinel tip
Before clicking any links in a suspicious PayPal email, copy the link address and paste it into Scamtinel's URL checker. We can quickly tell you if the link leads to a known phishing or scam site, helping you avoid giving away your information.
Check a suspicious link now →Related Scams
From the Blog
Last updated: May 3, 2026 · ← All scam types