Back to PayPal Invoice Refund Scam

This is a version of PayPal Invoice Refund Scam.

PayPal Fake Bitcoin Purchase Invoice Coinbase Scam

The victim receives an alarming email pretending to be from PayPal, with a subject like "Purchase-Invoice" or "Payment Receipt." The message claims you’ve just sent nearly $1,000 AUD to buy bitcoin from a company you don’t recognize. It includes what looks like a real invoice with your (or a similar) email address, a transaction number, and a large toll-free number highlighted for “billing support.” The scammers want you to panic and call the displayed Australian phone number, where they’ll try to trick you into giving away sensitive information or take control of your accounts by pretending to refund the “wrong transaction.”

PayPal Fake Bitcoin Purchase Invoice Coinbase Scam | Primary Image

What’s different in this version

These traits set this message apart from the usual pattern.

  1. Uses an Australian phone number that appears official and toll-free

  2. Claims you are being billed for a large bitcoin purchase you didn’t make, creating urgency

  3. Provides a fake invoice with real-looking PayPal formatting and transaction details

  4. Urges victims to call instead of using official PayPal websites or apps

  5. Sender’s email and invoice formatting are not from official PayPal domains

How this scam works

  1. 1

    You receive a fake invoice email 'from PayPal' for a product you never bought, featuring a prominent support number.

  2. 2

    When you call, the scammer claims they can fix it but needs remote access to your computer 'for verification'.

  3. 3

    They ask you to log into your bank, then black out your screen and use developer tools to fake a large refund.

  4. 4

    They pressure you to 'return' the overpayment via gift cards, crypto, or wire. The refund never happened.

✓ Do this

  • Close the email and log in to PayPal directly (don’t use links in the message).
  • Verify invoices inside your PayPal account only.
  • Report the email to abuse@paypal.com.

✗ Avoid this

  • Don’t call numbers in unsolicited emails.
  • Don’t install remote-access tools for strangers.
  • Don’t send money, gift cards, or crypto to 'return' funds.

Verbatim excerpts from the scam

Exact lines from emails or messages—searchable text so you can compare wording.

  1. 1 Excerpt 1
    Dear client [your email], You have successfully sent $985.20 AUD to your btc wallet. This is a receipt for your recent purchase through PayPal. This charge will appear on your statement as payment to BITCOINERS INC. within 24 hours. ...please call our billing support team at +61(02) 9160 3114 (Toll Free) to Cancel or for a Refund to avoid any charges...
  2. 2 Excerpt 2
    Note: You must log in to raise a Dispute in the PayPal Inc. at billing support team for cancellation and Refund.