Better Business Bureau Warns of Fake Invoice Scams

Local businesses in Indianapolis are being targeted by fraudulent invoices for services they never ordered.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Local Services

Better Business Bureau Warns of Fake Invoice Scams

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The Better Business Bureau Serving Central Indiana reports a rise in scam invoices being sent to local companies via physical mail and email. These fraudulent requests often impersonate government agencies or official providers, targeting businesses for office supplies and web services.

Why it matters

Business owners are facing increased financial risks from sophisticated schemes that use intimidation and legal threats to coerce payment for unrequested products. These scams can lead to significant monetary losses and compromised sensitive company information.

One victim in the area reported a fraudulent invoice charge totaling $310.37 for computer protection services. These scams target businesses for a variety of goods including office supplies and domain hosting fees.

The players

Better Business Bureau Serving Central Indiana

This local chapter of the non-profit organization works to monitor marketplace trust and investigate reports of business-related fraudulent activities.

The details

Scammers often rely on high-pressure tactics, such as threatening legal action to force employees to process payments quickly. The invoices are designed to mimic legitimate government forms or recognizable vendor statements to deceive office staff.

The Better Business Bureau reported on the rise of these scams in October 2026.

Culture Shift

This activity reflects a broader documented trend where scammers move away from individual phishing toward more targeted B2B invoice fraud. This shift capitalizes on the complexities of modern corporate procurement processes to bypass standard internal oversight.

Business owners and office managers should implement stricter verification steps for all incoming invoices to confirm they match legitimate purchase orders. Staff should be trained to recognize intimidation tactics, as these are primary red flags for fraudulent billing.

The takeaway

Always verify unexpected invoices by contacting the supposed vendor through a known, trusted phone number rather than information listed on the suspicious bill. Never provide payment or sensitive company data in response to an email or mail notice that uses threats of legal action.