Is an email from PayPal saying I have an invoice for a purchase I did not make a scam?
It is likely a PayPal invoice scam. Fraudsters can send real PayPal invoices for purchases you never made, hoping you will call the number in the invoice and be manipulated into sending money.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
A sophisticated variant of PayPal phishing involves sending an actual PayPal invoice — a real transaction notification generated within PayPal's system — for a product you never ordered, often something high-value like tech equipment or cryptocurrency. The email is genuinely from PayPal's email system, so it passes email authentication checks.
The invoice typically includes a fraudulent customer service phone number and a note encouraging you to call if the charge is not recognised. When you call, the 'PayPal agent' attempts to take control of your computer remotely, collect your banking details, or walk you through sending a 'refund' that actually transfers your own money out.
Because the email genuinely originates from PayPal's notification system, it looks identical to a real PayPal notification. The fraud is in the phone number and the follow-up call, not in the email itself.
If you receive an invoice for something you did not purchase, log in to your PayPal account directly through the PayPal app or website — never through the email — and check whether an invoice actually exists there. If it does, report and decline it through your PayPal account. Call PayPal's official customer service number from their website, not a number printed in the email.
Common red flags
- Invoice for a high-value item you never ordered
- Invoice includes a phone number to call if unrecognised
- Email appears genuinely from PayPal but the content is alarming
- Sense of urgency — the charge will process in a few hours if not cancelled
- Phone number in the invoice is different from PayPal's published customer service number
- Caller or invoice note asks you to call to 'cancel' the transaction
What to do now
- Do not call any phone number in the invoice
- Log in to your PayPal account directly and check your transaction history and open invoices
- If the invoice appears, decline it through your PayPal account settings
- Report the fraudulent invoice to PayPal's official fraud team
- Call PayPal customer service using the number from PayPal's official website if needed
- Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Frequently asked questions
How can a scam use a real PayPal email?
PayPal's invoicing system allows any PayPal account to send invoices to any email address. Scammers create PayPal accounts specifically to send fraudulent invoices that generate genuine PayPal notification emails.
Will PayPal charge me if I ignore the invoice?
Ignoring an invoice sent to your email does not result in a charge to your account. Only you initiating a payment through your logged-in PayPal account results in a charge.