A sponsored search result impersonates your biller and adds hidden fees when you pay online
When you search for a biller's payment page, a sponsored ad mimics the official site. You pay through a third-party aggregator that adds undisclosed "delivery fees" and secretly enrolls you in a monthly subscription.
Also known as: bill pay search ad scam, biller impersonation search ad, fake bill payment website, Doxo scam, third-party bill pay fraud
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
- 1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
- 2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
- 3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.
What to do right now
- 1 Scroll past all 'Sponsored' or 'Ad'-labeled search results — type your biller's official web address directly into your browser
- 2 Pay bills through your biller's official app, mailed check, or by calling the number on your paper statement
- 3 Review your bank and card statements for unexpected 'delivery fees' or new subscription charges after paying online
- 4 If you were charged undisclosed fees, dispute the transaction with your bank or credit card company
- 5 File a complaint with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov — FTC enforcement (e.g., the Doxo settlement) depends on consumer reports
- 6 Report to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov.
Red flags
- ⚠ The first search result has a small 'Sponsored' or 'Ad' label — it may not be your biller's actual website
- ⚠ The payment site URL does not match your biller's official domain (e.g., not att.com, labcorp.com, or your utility's .com)
- ⚠ An extra 'delivery fee' or 'convenience fee' is added that your actual biller does not normally charge
- ⚠ Your payment confirmation email comes from a company you've never heard of — not your biller
- ⚠ A new recurring subscription charge from an unfamiliar bill-payment service appears on your bank statement after paying a bill