QuickBooks Support Scam Alert: What Small Business Owners Need to Know

Recently, one of our bookkeeping clients experienced a QuickBooks Online (QBO) scam that we want to share as a warning to other business owners. She contacted QuickBooks support through the Help menu inside QBO—something most of us would consider safe. Unfortunately, the call was transferred outside of Intuit’s secure system and directly into the hands of scammers.

Here’s what happened:

• She was connected to someone pretending to be a QuickBooks support representative.
• The scammers gave her callback numbers and claimed there was a problem with her QuickBooks subscription.
• They sent an invoice email and told her she needed to pay a subscription fee immediately.
• When she entered her credit card information through their fraudulent link, nothing appeared to process. She hit submit multiple times—unknowingly paying each time.

Intuit’s Security Operations team is now investigating. But this story is a reminder of how quickly accounting scams can happen to even experienced business owners.

How to Protect Your Business from QuickBooks Scams

1. Verify before paying any invoice – If you receive an unexpected QuickBooks invoice or email link, go directly to quickbooks.intuit.com or log into your account to confirm before entering payment information.
2. Be cautious with phone transfers – Just because a call starts with official QuickBooks support doesn’t mean the transfer is safe. Hang up and dial the official Intuit QuickBooks support number yourself.
3. Know the red flags – Requests for unusual fees, urgent payment demands, or invoices sent by email are all signs of a QuickBooks support scam.
4. Ask your accountant – If you’re unsure about a charge, reach out to us. A quick check can prevent major losses.
5. Trust your instincts – If something feels “off” or too pushy, it probably is. Slow down, hang up, and verify before sharing any information.

Final Thoughts for Small Business Owners

QuickBooks fraud and other accounting scams are on the rise, and scammers are getting more sophisticated. As a small business owner, staying vigilant is key. Along with protecting yourself from scams, it’s equally important to secure your accounts with stronger login protections. If you haven’t enabled multi-factor authentication (MFA) in QuickBooks Online, we recommend taking that step right away—here’s a helpful guide: Why Multi-Factor Authentication Matters in QBO.

Want to make sure your books are clean and accurate so you can catch errors (and scams) faster? Download our free Clean Books Checklist.

At AdminBooks, we’re here to help our clients navigate not just bookkeeping and taxes—but also the financial risks of scams and fraud. If you ever feel uncertain about an email, invoice, or support call, reach out. We’ll help you sort fact from fraud.

From bookkeeping to tax preparation, we’re here to protect both your numbers and your peace of mind.