Staying Safe Online · Email & Message Tricks · Lesson 2 of 5

Fake Invoices & Delivery Notices

Fake bills and package notices, and why they want you to call or click.

The fake renewal bill

An invoice is a bill that says what you bought and how much you paid. A renewal is when a service charges you again for another year.

A very common scam is a fake renewal invoice. It looks like it comes from a name you know, like Geek Squad, Norton, McAfee or PayPal. It says something like this:

• 'Thank you for your order. Your plan renewed for $399.99.'
• 'If you did not approve this, call us within 24 hours.'

The price is high on purpose. It is meant to scare you into calling fast.

When you call, a friendly person offers to cancel it and give you a refund. Then they may ask you to:

• Let them connect to your computer to 'process the refund'.
• Sign in to your bank while they watch.
• Pay back an 'extra' refund with gift cards or a wire transfer.

There was never a charge. The whole story is made up.

Here is what to do instead:

1. Don't call the number in the email, and don't reply.
2. Check your bank or card statement yourself. If there is no charge, there is nothing to cancel.
3. If you really have that service, contact the company using its real website or the number on your card.

Never let a stranger who contacted you connect to your computer.

Fake delivery notices

Package scams come by email and by text. They often say:

• 'We tried to deliver your package. Pay a $1.99 fee to schedule delivery.'
• 'Your package is on hold. Update your address here.'

They use names like USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL or Amazon. Many people are waiting for a package at any time, so the story feels real.

The fee is tiny, so it seems harmless. But the link opens a fake page that asks for your card number. Once they have it, they can use your card for much bigger charges. Some pages also ask for your name, address and birthday.

Why do scammers want you to click or call? Because their message can't hurt you by itself. The harm happens when you take the next step:

• Clicking takes you to their fake page.
• Calling puts you on the phone with a person trained to fool you.

So slowing down is your best tool. Here is a safe way to check a delivery:

1. Don't use the link in the message.
2. Open the shipper's real app, or type its web address yourself.
3. Type your tracking number from your order email or the store's website.

If there is a real problem, it will show there.