Scammers Target Shop App Users with Fake Purchase Receipts
If you’re a regular Shop app user, you might have seen a receipt in your order tracking history for a purchase you didn’t make. Scammers have found a way to insert fake orders into Shop users’ histories, making it seem like a legitimate company like Apple, Norton, or PayPal is involved.
These fake receipts often list a charge (usually for a large amount) and provide an email and/or phone number for disputing the purchase. However, if you call the number, you’ll reach scammers pretending to be support agents. Their goal is to get you to hand over personal information like login credentials, credit card information, or authentication codes.
Researchers at Gen Digital, a cybersecurity firm, discovered that these fake purchase notifications contain obvious red flags, such as poor grammar and spelling. However, Shop is a widely used and trusted app, making users more likely to suspect a scam and engage with the receipt.
The fake receipts are often inserted into the Shop app’s order tracking history, making it seem like a legitimate purchase. However, if you check your bank or credit card statements, as well as your account history with the listed vendor, you might not find any matching purchase. If that’s the case, the invoice is almost certainly a scam.
It’s not clear exactly how scammers are inserting fake orders into user histories, nor is there evidence that Shop, Shopify, or any companies being impersonated have been breached. Shop has said that they are implementing ‘new controls’ to mitigate the issue.
So, what can you do if you see a Shop purchase you don’t recognize? First, don’t automatically assume the receipt is legitimate. Check your bank or credit card statements, as well as your account history with the listed vendor, to see if there’s a matching purchase. If you don’t find one, the invoice is almost certainly a scam, and you should not engage with it.
If you haven’t done any of these things, you can simply ignore the notification or report it directly to Shop and the listed vendor. If you’ve called or given up any information, change your password (ideally on a different device) and keep an eye on any suspicious login attempts or unfamiliar charges on your accounts.
Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your personal and financial information. If you’re unsure about a receipt or notification, it’s best to err on the side of caution and report it or ignore it.
Some of the red flags to watch out for include:
- Poor grammar and spelling
- Unfamiliar company names or logos
- Unusual or suspicious email addresses or phone numbers
By being aware of these red flags and taking the necessary precautions, you can protect yourself from falling victim to this scam.
