How to Verify a Suspicious Invoice Before Paying
Scammers send fake invoices — and sometimes intercept real ones and change the payment details. Before paying any invoice that arrived unexpectedly, requests new payment details, or comes from a name you don't fully recognize, taking a moment to verify can help you avoid a significant loss.
Risk Signals to Look For
- !The invoice contains new or changed bank account details that are different from what you have paid before — even if it appears to come from a supplier you know.
- !The invoice is for services or goods you do not recognize, cannot match to a purchase order, or do not remember authorizing.
- !The amount is just below a round number or just under a threshold that would typically require extra approval.
- !The invoice PDF arrived from a domain that looks similar to a known supplier but has a subtle difference — a hyphen, an extra word, or a different suffix.
- !The invoice demands payment within 24–48 hours, with warnings of late fees, account suspension, or legal action if you do not act immediately.
Steps to Verify Before Paying
- 1Match against prior records: Compare the invoice against your purchase orders, contracts, or prior correspondence with the same supplier. A legitimate invoice should correspond to something you or your organization approved.
- 2Call the supplier using known contact details: Call using a phone number from your existing records — not the number on the invoice — and ask them to confirm the payment details and that the invoice is genuine.
- 3Compare payment details character by character: Check the account number, sort code, or routing number against previous invoices from the same supplier. If anything has changed, treat it as a verification gap until confirmed through a separate trusted channel.
- 4Check the sending email domain carefully: Lookalike domains — an extra hyphen, a different country code, or a subtle letter substitution — are a common method in invoice fraud. Compare character by character against a prior email from the same supplier.
- 5Upload to VerifyBefore: If you're still unsure, upload the invoice to VerifyBefore for a structured review of risk signals before you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is invoice redirect fraud?
Invoice redirect fraud — sometimes called mandate fraud or payment redirect scam — happens when a criminal intercepts a real invoice and changes the bank account details, or sends a convincing fake invoice from a lookalike email address. The victim pays the criminal's account instead of the legitimate supplier. Independently verifying any change in payment details is the most effective way to reduce this risk.
Is it safe to pay an invoice I wasn't expecting?
An unexpected invoice is a verification gap worth investigating before paying. Check whether you or someone in your organization authorized the work or service described. Contact the sender through a phone number in your existing records — not the number on the invoice — to confirm whether the invoice is genuine.
What should I do if I already paid a fraudulent invoice?
Contact your bank immediately and report the suspected fraud. Also report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Acting quickly gives you the best chance of stopping or recovering the payment, though recovery cannot be guaranteed.
How can VerifyBefore help with a suspicious invoice?
You can upload the invoice to VerifyBefore. The review will check for risk signals — such as urgency language, unverifiable company details, and patterns commonly found in fraudulent billing documents — and give you a plain-English summary of what to verify before you pay.
Received an Invoice You're Not Sure About?
Upload it to VerifyBefore. We'll check for risk signals and verification gaps — free, before you pay.
Check a Document FreeDisclaimer: VerifyBefore identifies risk signals and verification gaps in documents and messages. It does not prove fraud, verify document authenticity, or confirm whether a company is legitimate. It is not legal, financial, or professional advice. Always contact official sources and speak with someone you trust before taking action.