InvoiceScamCheck

Check a suspicious invoice before AP pays

A suspicious vendor invoice rarely announces itself as fraud. It looks like normal accounts payable work: a familiar supplier, an urgent due date, a new PDF, or a bank-detail update that arrived by email.

InvoiceScamCheck is a free client-side risk checklist for AP, finance, controllers, and small-business owners. It does not verify vendors, bank accounts, or invoice authenticity. It highlights operational red flags before your team releases payment.

Run invoice check Read FAQ

Quick answer

BEC has a clear dollar pain

The FBI IC3 reported 24,768 BEC complaints and USD 3.046B in losses in 2025. Treat every invoice with changed payment instructions as a verification event, not an email task.

InvoiceScamCheck

Run the invoice scam and payment-change check

Enter vendor, sender, amount, PO, payment method, payment-change context, and optional email text. The rules engine runs in your browser and returns red flags, a payment checklist, a call script, and an internal approval note.

Source-backed risk model: FBI IC3 2025 BEC data FTC fake invoice guidance
Payment context

No file upload in this MVP. This rules check runs in your browser and does not store invoices or vendor text.

Risk indicators only - not forensic proof

Free AP Fraud SOP Kit

Turn this check into an AP policy

Get the vendor bank-change policy, callback script, approval note, incident checklist, and hold triggers for your finance team.

Get the SOP kit Future paid: saved checks, audit log, PDF reports, team templates - $19/mo teaser.

Strong red flags in invoice scams

These signals do not prove fraud by themselves, but combinations should stop payment until independent verification is complete.

  • Bank account, routing, ACH, or wire instructions changed by email.
  • Reply-to domain does not match sender domain.
  • Free-mail address used for corporate finance instructions.
  • Same-day urgency, threats of service interruption, or secrecy.
  • First-time vendor, missing PO match, or unusual amount.
  • Payment rail is wire, crypto, instant transfer, or gift card.

Safer signals that still need documentation

The checker reduces risk score for verified controls, but it never marks a payment as guaranteed safe.

  • Vendor is known and invoice matches an approved PO.
  • Payment instructions were verified by a known phone number from vendor master records.
  • Dual approval is complete for any payment-instruction change.
  • Payment rail matches established history.

Privacy stance

The structured MVP intentionally avoids file upload and account storage.

  • No PDF upload in v1.
  • The rules check runs client-side in the browser.
  • Remove account numbers, tax IDs, and confidential customer data before pasting optional text.
  • Use the output as an AP control aid, not forensic proof.

Best next action after the result

The result panel gives AP a checklist and copyable note. The post-result CTA points teams to the AP Fraud SOP Kit so the same controls can become a repeatable approval process.

  • High risk: hold payment, call the vendor, document the verification source, and escalate internally.
  • Review: pause until AP completes callback and dual approval if payment details changed.
  • Low: still document normal AP controls before releasing funds.

Invoice Scam Check FAQ

Does this prove an invoice is fraudulent?

No. It provides risk indicators and workflow prompts. It does not verify the vendor, bank account, invoice PDF, or legal authenticity.

Why no file upload?

Privacy and speed. The first MVP avoids storing invoices or attachments. AP teams can paste limited text after removing confidential account data.

What is the most important step before paying?

Call the vendor on a phone number from your existing records, never a number supplied in the suspicious email or PDF.

Can a legitimate vendor email still be compromised?

Yes. A real mailbox can be hijacked, so bank-detail changes and unusual urgency still require callback and dual approval.

What should I copy into the payment approval trail?

Use the generated internal approval note, then add the verified phone source, caller name, date/time, decision, and second approver.

Can we turn this into an AP policy?

Yes. Use the AP Fraud SOP Kit for a vendor bank-change policy, callback script, hold triggers, and incident checklist.