Guide · Updated 2026-10-15 · By the PayOrScam team
12 fake invoice warning signs
No single sign proves an invoice is fake, but several together should stop a payment until you've verified it.
A request to pay new or updated bank details.
Urgency or threats ("final notice", "account suspended", "legal action").
Sent from a free webmail address (Gmail, Outlook) for a business.
An email domain that doesn't match the company website, or a lookalike spelling.
A brand-new website or no website at all.
The company isn't on the official register, or is dissolved.
A bank account in a different country from the supplier.
Totals that don't add up, odd VAT/tax amounts or missing tax numbers.
A logo that belongs to another brand or looks low-quality.
A signature typed in a script font or pasted as an image found elsewhere online.
Details you don't recognise: no purchase order, an unknown contact person, or an unfamiliar service.
A request to keep it confidential or not to call.
What to do: don't pay; call the supplier using a number you already trust; if you've paid, contact your bank immediately and report it (US: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and IC3; UK: Action Fraud).