PayPal invoice you never asked for: real invoice, fake debt

This scam is cleverer than most: the email and invoice are genuinely from PayPal, because anyone can send a PayPal invoice to anyone. The invoice is for something you never ordered, often an expensive gadget or a protection plan, and the seller notes hide a fake 'PayPal support' number to call about the 'fraud.' Paying the invoice, or calling that number, are the two ways to lose. An unpaid invoice is not a charge and never becomes one on its own.

What to do

  1. Do not pay the invoice and do not call the number in its notes. The number reaches the scammer, not PayPal.
  2. Log in to PayPal directly (type the address or use the app, never the email's button) and look at the invoice in your activity.
  3. Cancel or decline the invoice from your PayPal activity page. That closes it permanently.
  4. Check your linked bank and card statements. You will find no charge, because invoices do not move money until someone pays them.
  5. Report the invoice using the report options in PayPal, and mark the email as phishing.

Why this one fools careful people

Every usual check passes: the email really is from PayPal, the link really goes to PayPal, and the invoice really exists in the account. What is fake is the story around it, that a purchase happened, that money left your account, and that the number in the notes is PayPal support. Invoicing is an open feature built for freelancers and sellers, and scammers exploit the trust the genuine platform creates.

Paid it, or called and shared details? If you paid, open a dispute in PayPal's Resolution Center immediately and contact your bank as well. If you called the number and granted remote access or shared details, change your PayPal password, enable two-factor authentication, and treat your bank as alerted. Report the incident at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Common questions

Can an unpaid PayPal invoice hurt my credit or account? No. Ignoring or canceling a money request has no effect on your credit or your standing with PayPal. It simply sits there until canceled or it expires.

How did they get my email address? Invoicing only needs an email address, and addresses circulate in old data breaches and public lists. Receiving one says nothing about your PayPal account being compromised, but it is a good reminder to use a unique password and two-factor authentication there.

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