Download the FREE FOX19 NOW news app for iPhone
Download the FREE FOX19 NOW news app for Android
CINCINNATI (WXIX) – Scammers are exploiting the Shop app to send fake invoices to users’ accounts, according to a cybersecurity expert and a statement from Shopify.
The scam generates a notification alerting a user that an order is processing — one the user never placed. The notification links to a real-looking invoice inside the app, complete with a phone number to call and dispute the charge.
What the scam looks like
One invoice included a $345.07 charge for a Geek Squad Family Subscription, with a phone number listed in the item description. No money was taken from the account.
Others have reported similar fake invoices appearing in the Shop app.
What Shopify said
Shopify responded with a statement addressing the activity.
“We identified bad actors misusing our platform to generate fake order notifications and rolled out new controls that have significantly reduced this activity and improved our ability to detect it going forward,” the company said. “Anyone who receives a suspicious notification should avoid calling any phone numbers in it and report the store directly in the Shop app.”
What the tech expert said
Tech expert Dave Hatter said AI is making these scams more convincing.
“Scammers are everywhere. It’s surprising to me that they have figured out how to manipulate this Shop app to create these fake invoices. I don’t know how they’re doing it,” Hatter said.
Hatter said getting a user on the phone is the scammer’s primary goal.
“They want to talk to you. They know if they can get you on the phone they can tell you whatever lies you need to hear to give them your credit card number, your bank account number, access to your computer,” he said.
Hatter said the scam reflects how bad actors follow large concentrations of users online.
“People don’t understand spoofing — the idea that people can make it look like something that it’s not. And social engineering — ‘I’m going to convince you you’re going to lose money unless you call this number or click this link.’ Things like that,” Hatter said.
What to do if you receive a suspicious notificationDo not call any phone number listed in the notification.Check your bank accounts before taking any action.Report the store directly in the Shop app.The FTC said victims of this or similar scams should file a complaint on its website.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 WXIX. All rights reserved.