5 April 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Better Business Bureau is warning about a new variation of the fake invoice scam.
Most fake invoice scams involve the scammer sending a fake invoice for services it never delivered to a business in hopes it will be paid without question. However, this new scam sends a bill for a renewal of service, telling the business or individual to contact them if they wish to cancel.
The scammers are pretending to be from Best Buy’s Geek Squad. They warn that you will be charged hundreds of dollars when your subscription renews soon.
They direct you to call a number where a “customer service agent” will guide you through canceling the service. They will eventually ask for your bank information so that they can refund you the money they claim they have already charged you to cancel the service.
There is also a variation that uses PayPal and similarly asks you to call to cancel. In addition, the emails may contain .pdf or other downloadable files that could contain malware that could be used to steal sensitive information from your computer if you download them.
The Better Business Bureau says it’s important to know how to spot a fake invoice. Scammers also create a false sense of urgency to respond to their scams which is why people often fall for them.
You should always be wary of anyone that says you need to act immediately without investigation of their claims. Don’t be intimidated into acting before you have had a chance to investigate.
Before you make a purchase or sign up for services or a subscription, learn how they will deliver your invoices. Always be wary of any unsolicited emails you receive.
If you are unsure if it is legitimate or not, don’t call the number in the email, call the business directly and ask. They should be able to tell you if they sent you a legitimate invoice or not.
If you spot a scam, you can report it by using the BBB Scam Tracker. You can also use the scam tracker to see if what you received is a scam.
For more tips on avoiding being the victim of a scam, click here.