PayPal Scam Playbook

An unexpected PayPal invoice appears. A payment notice says your money is pending. Someone claiming to be customer support offers to cancel a charge or process a refund—but only if you call immediately.

What should you do?

The PayPal Scam Playbook explains how criminals use fake invoices, payment confirmations, refund tricks, phishing messages, and account-takeover schemes to steal money and personal information.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• Verify PayPal messages without clicking suspicious links

• Handle unfamiliar invoices and money requests safely

• Recognize fake payment and “pending funds” notices

• Avoid refund and overpayment scams

• Identify impostor customer-service representatives

• Protect your password and security codes

• Avoid seller, marketplace, and Friends and Family payment traps

• Respond immediately if money or account information is stolen

• Document the incident and avoid recovery scams

The guide also includes quick-reference checklists, seller safety steps, an incident worksheet, and trusted reporting resources.

Before clicking, calling, shipping, refunding, or sending money, learn how to stop the pressure and verify what is actually happening inside your account.