Treat an unexpected invoice, remittance notice, or payment change as suspicious until you verify it directly with the vendor using contact information you already trust.
The display name is not the sender
Words such as “QuickBooks Notification,” “Intuit Billing,” or “Accounts Payable” can be typed into a display-name field by anyone. Read the full address and focus on the domain after the final @.
Watch for borrowed trust
The email may arrive through DocuSign, Dropbox, Microsoft, Google, or another real service. That makes the delivery authentic, not the invoice. Unexpected spreadsheets, remittance advice, subscription renewals, and changes to payment instructions deserve independent verification.
Verify without using the message
- Open QuickBooks or your vendor portal from a saved bookmark.
- Call the vendor using the number in your accounting system.
- Compare the invoice number and amount with an approved purchase.
- Never accept new bank details solely by email.
This page provides general security guidance, not a guarantee that any individual message is safe. When money, passwords, remote access, or sensitive records are involved, verify through a separate trusted channel.