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Business & invoices

Fake purchase orders

An impersonated company or school sends a large order with forged paperwork, requesting credit terms and fast delivery.

See response steps Share this in a workshop
US tax forms, a calculator and a laptop on a desk

If you have one minute

Pause, then verify independently.

A large credit order from a new buyer

Before paying

Confirm through the customer’s independently found switchboard

See verification steps →

If you paid or shared details

Pause shipment or contact the carrier promptly

See response steps →

Start with these three signs

  • A large credit order from a new buyer
  • Delivery address unrelated to the institution
  • Unverifiable procurement contact

How the situation unfolds

  1. Contact

    Quote requests, sales inboxes or procurement calls.

  2. The lure

    A major customer urgently needs goods on account.

  3. The demand and outcome

    Lookalike domains and real employee names support a forged order; goods reach an unrelated address and the real institution denies purchasing.

Verify these things before paying

  1. Confirm through the customer’s independently found switchboard
  2. Check purchasing authority and delivery address
  3. Approve and limit first-time credit orders

Already engaged or paid?

  1. Pause shipment or contact the carrier promptly
  2. Notify the impersonated institution
  3. Keep orders and shipping details; report to police

Contact your payment provider and local police promptly. The responsible institution must confirm whether a payment can be stopped, disputed or returned.

Keep these records

Quote request and purchase order
Email domain and contacts
Delivery and tracking details
Credit approval and delivery records

Keep originals and organise working copies. Never give strangers verification codes, banking passwords, private keys or seed phrases.

Original references

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)Publisher location：United States · EnglishOpen the original reference ↗https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/purchase-order-scam-leaves-a-trail-of-victims

This page summarises public prevention guidance to help recognise methods. It is not an enforcement conclusion about a particular incident. Check the source page for its original title. Procedures and reporting routes vary by jurisdiction. Compiled October 2026.

Related situations

Business email compromise

A fake executive, colleague or partner uses a spoofed or compromised mailbox to request urgent payments or confidential data.

Read the warning signs and checks

Payment redirection scams

A fake supplier changes bank details near a real payment deadline. The project and invoice are real; the recipient is not.

Read the warning signs and checks

Fake invoices and unordered services

An unfamiliar supplier sends an official-looking bill for advertising, listings, supplies or a subscription you did not order.

Read the warning signs and checks