Sends a bill for something you never bought
Fake invoice or renewal email
Is an email or text about a PayPal, Geek Squad, Norton or McAfee charge I didn't make a scam?
Yes. These messages claim you were charged for a renewal or invoice and tell you to call a number to cancel or get a refund, but the charge is fake and the number leads to a scammer. Check your bank or card statement yourself, and contact the real company using a phone number you look up on your own.
Real organizations never do this. Stop. Hang up or delete it.
Also searched as: PayPal invoice, PayPal email, Geek Squad, Norton, McAfee, antivirus renewal, subscription renewal, fake invoice, charge I did not make, call to cancel
Draft: we're still checking this page. The quotes below are word for word from their sources.
What to do
On the phone right now?
- Stop. Hang up or close the message. Don't tap anything.
- Check. Call a number you already have, like the one on your card or bill.
- Talk to someone you trust before you pay anyone.
If anyone is in danger right now, call 911.
If you already paid
- Call the company you paid through right away: your bank, card company, gift card company, or the wire or Zelle service. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment.
- Call the Justice Department's National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If it happened online, report it at IC3.gov too.
General information, not legal or financial advice. If you've lost money, contact your bank and report it.
How it works
1 They reach you by
- Text message
- Phone call
2 They pretend to be
- Tech support
- Your bank
3 They ask for
- Control of your computer
- Personal details
- Gift cards
- Wire or Zelle
- Crypto
- Tap a link
What it can look like
Example pattern, not a real message
Sends a bill for something you never bought. What gives it away:
- Pay with gift cards
- Pay with crypto
- Let them into your computer
Warning signs
- They tell you to buy gift cards and read them the numbers. No real agency or company asks to be paid that way.
- They want payment in cryptocurrency, or tell you to use a Bitcoin machine. That money is very hard to get back.
- They ask you to install an app so they can see or control your computer or phone.
- They push you to send a wire transfer or Zelle payment. That money is very hard to get back.
- They contacted you, then ask for your Social Security, Medicare or bank numbers.
- They want you to use their link or their phone number. Look up the real website or number yourself.
Why we say this
Bangladeshi man pleads guilty to his role in fraud conspiracy
A news report describes a Geek Squad renewal scam in which a fake BestBuy employee emailed a 73-year-old man about a service contract and then convinced him he had been overpaid and must pay cash. The scam used a courier to collect the money, and it stopped only after the victim's daughter recognized it as a scam.
a 73-year-old man residing in the Western District of New York received an email from a co-conspirator who falsely claimed to be from “Geek Squad.”
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The man was then told that $30,000 was accidently refunded to his account and that he needed to give back $28,000 of the refund.
the man withdrew $28,000 in cash and turn it over to Nieon and a co-conspirator at a particular location.
How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams
Scammers show a fake pop-up, call, or text saying your computer has a problem. They ask to control your computer and then ask for payment. Some pass you to a fake government worker who says your money is in danger and tells you to hand over cash or gold. Others send fake subscription-renewal bills and then claim they refunded you too much.
In another type of scheme, scammers send notices about automatic renewals for tech support subscriptions. You might get an email or text message that says you were charged hundreds of dollars to renew your tech support subscription. To get your attention, the scammers use the names of well-known companies like Geek Squad, McAfee, and Norton.
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The message says you must call a phone number within 24 hours if you want to dispute the charge. If you call, the scammers ask for remote access to your computer.
They take you to a spoofed website that looks real and tell you to enter your bank or credit card information to process the refund. After you do that, they claim there was an error in the amount entered. They say they refunded you too much money and insist you pay them back with gift cards, a wire transfer, a bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app.
If you get a message about a tech support subscription renewal and you think it’s real, contact the company directly using a phone number you know is real.
Also check your credit card or bank account for an unauthorized transaction for a tech support subscription.
If you don’t see a transaction for a tech support subscription, that tells you the message was a scam. Ignore and delete it.
Legitimate tech companies won’t contact you by phone, email, or text message to tell you there’s a problem with your computer.
How To Avoid Imposter Scams
This FTC guide is kept up to date. It lists Amazon impersonators among common business imposters. It also covers the warning signs, such as a faked caller ID, and what to do: don't click, don't send money, and check using contact details you know are real.
An imposter scam is when a scammer lies and pretends to be someone they’re not to trick you into giving them money, access to your financial accounts, or your personal information.
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Never transfer or send money, cryptocurrency, or gold to someone you don’t know in response to an unexpected call or message.
Don’t click on links or call phone numbers in unexpected messages. If you think the message could be real, verify the story. Contact the organization in question using a phone number, website, or email address you know is real. Don't use the contact information in the unexpected message.
Avoid Invoice and Money Request Scams
PayPal's own help page warns about fake invoices and money requests, including ones with a scary note and a fake customer service number. It says to log in to PayPal yourself, not call the number, and not pay.
Invoice and money request scams often try to trick you into sending money to a fraudster. Or they may ask you to call their phone number, hoping you’ll divulge your personal or financial details over the phone.
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Be wary of alarmist messages in invoices and money requests warning you to call them quickly to resolve an “issue” on your account. Always log in to your account on the PayPal website or the PayPal app to verify if any action is needed.
You receive an invoice or money request through PayPal, but for a product/service you never ordered. Don’t pay it.
You receive an invoice or money request through PayPal containing an alarmist note. The note may ask you to call their fake customer service number in the hope they can obtain your personal/financial details over the phone.
You receive a fake invoice or money request by email, designed to look like a real PayPal email. Never click any links or call any phone numbers in a suspicious email.
Alpharetta Police Warn of Scam Targeting Public Hearing Applicants
Alpharetta police warned residents, businesses and developers about fake emails that look like they come from the city and demand payment for permits or services. The messages use real project details and staff names taken from public records, so they can look legitimate.
During the scam, police said emails consisting of falsified invoices are appearing to derive from the City of Alpharetta when they are sent to people. The fake invoices include payment requests for permits or services, police said.
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The emails could comprise of logos that appear official, staff names and project details that come from public records, police said.
The scammers could potentially be monitoring public meeting agendas in efforts to directly contact applicants, police said.
Be cautious of emails requesting payment by wire transfer. The city does not use wire transfers for community development fees.
"If you receive a suspicious email, do not respond or send payment," police said.
Madison Police Warn Of Email Scam Targeting Land Use Applicants
Madison, Connecticut police warn that people who applied for land use permits are getting fake emails that appear to come from the town planner. The emails ask for a $5,000 wire transfer for application fees, which the town says it never requests this way.
According to police, scammers are sending emails impersonating Town Planner Erin Mannix and requesting $5,000 wire transfers for application fees.
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The Madison Land Use Department does not request payments by wire transfer, police said.
Residents who receive one of the fraudulent emails should not respond or send payment.
Anyone who has already sent money or believes they have been a victim of the scam should contact the Madison Police Department at 203-245-6500.
City of Gulf Shores warns residents of multiple fraud attempts
The City of Gulf Shores and its police department warned residents and businesses about several active scams. The lead example is a fake approval-fee invoice emailed to people who filed Planning Commission applications, and the article also covers fake calendar-sponsorship calls and a cash-collection scam.
The scam claims the recipient owes an “approval fee” and may include a fabricated invoice with detailed charges.
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The City of Gulf Shores will never request payment via email wire transfer for any service.
Hang up immediately if a call seems suspicious. Do NOT provide financial, business, or employee details.
These instructions are always fraudulent. No legitimate agency or company will ever ask you to package cash, use a crypto ATM, or hand money to a courier.
you can verify any questionable communication by contacting the Gulf Shores Police Department or the City’s Financial Services Department at (251) 968-2425.
Gulf Shores Police Warn Residents and Businesses About Active Scams
Gulf Shores police and city officials warn that scammers are sending fake Planning Commission emails with invoices demanding an approval fee, and one resident lost $4,000. The same alert also covers fake police-sponsorship calls to businesses and a scheme where employees are told to collect cash and deposit it in a crypto kiosk or hand it to a courier.
Residents who submitted Planning Commission applications have reported receiving fraudulent emails and fake invoices that appear official.
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They claim the recipient owes an "approval fee" and may include a fabricated invoice with detailed charges.
The City of Gulf Shores will never request payment via email or wire transfer for any service.
If you receive an unexpected email requesting payment or containing a link, do NOT click and do NOT send money.
Bengali fraudster linked to Orange County elder fraud
A news report describes a Geek Squad renewal scam in which a fake BestBuy employee emailed a 73-year-old man about a service contract and then convinced him he had been overpaid and must pay cash. The scam used a courier to collect the money, and it stopped only after the victim's daughter recognized it as a scam.
In the Geek Squad scam a criminal pretends to be an employee of a BestBuy electronics store. The scammer sends a phishing email, warning the target that an urgent action must be taken and urging the individual to provide personal information, such as a credit card number or Social Security number.
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The scammer directed him to enter information on a fake refund link, and then conned the victim into believing that he had mistakenly entered $41,999 and that he had to pay BestBuy in cash.
The next day, the scammer called back to arrange another payment. The elderly man withdrew $8,000 from his bank, but when he spoke to his daughter she told him he had been scammed.
The victim reported the circumstances to the Warwick police department, and the police helped the victim set up another meeting with the courier to deliver $22,000.