How to verify if a charge or invoice is a scam before paying

You receive a message: you must pay a SAT, CFE, Infonavit debt, a package held in customs, or a traffic fine. It includes a link, CLABE, or bank reference. Before transferring, stop. Fraudulent charges exploit fear of fines, blocks, or service loss. Verifying takes minutes; recovering money afterward can take months or be impossible.

Signs of a suspicious charge

• Extreme urgency: 'pay within the next 2 hours or your account will be blocked'.
• Unofficial channel: WhatsApp from personal number, email from Gmail/Hotmail instead of institutional domain.
• Shortened link or domain that doesn't match (real agency's .gob.mx, .com.mx).
• SPEI payment to individual or CLABE without verifiable business name.
• Spelling errors, invented RFC, or folio not found on official portals.
• Request full banking details 'to verify identity before charging'.

Verification checklist before paying

1. Don't click links in the message. Go to the official site by typing the URL yourself.
2. Confirm debts on the agency's official portal (SAT, CFE, etc.) with your RFC or service number.
3. Call the agency's official number — not the one in the message — and ask about the folio.
4. Verify the CLABE: must correspond to a registered institution, not a personal account.
5. Be suspicious of package charges for items you didn't order or traffic fines without recent violations.
6. Consult someone you trust before paying significant amounts.

Use verification tools

At Devson Labs we built the Scam Checker: a free tool where you can paste the message, link, or charge description and get a risk signal analysis. It doesn't replace common sense, but helps detect known fraud patterns before you transfer.

CFDI invoice and business charge verification

If you're a business receiving a new invoice from a known vendor, verify issuer RFC with SAT, confirm UUID exists on CFDI verification portal, and compare bank details with previously registered ones. Criminals also forge invoices to justify payments to new accounts.

For consumer charges, be suspicious of any transfer payment request when official service offers OXXO, bank, or government portal payment. Scammers avoid those channels because they leave verifiable traces.

1. Check RFC in SAT registry before paying new invoices.
2. Verify CFDI UUID at verificacfdi.facturaelectronica.sat.gob.mx.
3. Use the scam checker before paying charges via WhatsApp or email.

If the charge is legitimate, the agency won't pressure you to pay via WhatsApp in the next 30 minutes.

Frequent cases in Mexico

• Fake SAT debt: email with official logo requesting payment via external link.
• CFE or water: immediate cutoff threat with unverifiable bank reference.
• Held package: SMS from 'postal service' requesting customs payment via SPEI.
• Traffic fines: links to cloned state government sites.
• Subscription services: recurring charges for services you never contracted.

What to do if you already paid a fake collector

Report to the bank immediately, file a complaint, and keep evidence of the message and payment receipt. If the destination hasn't withdrawn funds, a recovery window exists. Also report the number or email on the platform where they contacted you.

Before the next suspicious charge, try Devson Labs' Scam Checker. And if your company receives collection fraud attempts impersonating your brand, contact us — we help detect and block impersonation.