Small business owners lose $95,000 after a “QuickBooks support” callback scam

A small business owner shared a frightening experience online after scammers drained nearly $95,000 from their company account following what appeared to be a legitimate QuickBooks support call.

The story, shared on Reddit as a warning to others, shows how convincing modern support scams have become and why even cautious business owners can still fall victim.

The couple runs a small business and were simply trying to fix an accounting error. They entered a wrong number for a check, so they contacted QuickBooks support for help. After some time on the phone, the representative told them someone would call back to assist. Shortly afterward, a call came in.

The person on the line already knew about the check issue. Because the caller had the correct details, the business owner assumed he was speaking with a legitimate support agent.

The caller said he needed to verify the owner’s identity and sent a verification code, which the owner read back to him.

That was the moment the scam began.

Key takeaways:

• Even legitimate support interactions can be hijacked.
• Verification codes should never be shared
• Knowing your problem makes scammers more convincing.
• Financial platforms are high-value targets
• According to the FBI, tech support scams caused $1.464 billion in losses in 2024, about $500 million more than in 2023 and an 87% increase compared to 2022.

How the money was stolen

Starting that night, the scammer began transferring money from the company account. By the time the business owners realized what was happening, around $95,000 had already been taken, and the attacker had locked them out of their account.

When they discovered the fraud, they immediately contacted customer service. However, the fraud department had already closed for the day. The couple then contacted the police, filed a report with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and began working with QuickBooks and the bank to recover the funds.

Fortunately, the QuickBooks’ banking partner issued the business a permanent credit of $95,469.97, reimbursing the amount they initially believed had been stolen. However, after reviewing their account history more carefully, the owners discovered that the total amount taken was actually $154,690.97.

Even after the fraud was discovered, the scammers continued trying to contact them, again asking for verification codes, hoping they might fall for the trick a second time.

Related: QuickBooks for Small Business: How to Secure Your Account

Warning signs in this scam

Looking back, a few signals show how the attackers were able to gain trust.

• The caller already knew the issue. This made the conversation feel legitimate.

• The caller asked for a verification code. Support agents never need the code sent to your phone or email.

• The request felt routine. The process sounded like a normal support interaction.

• The scam happened outside normal support hours. When the fraud was discovered, the fraud department had already closed.

Related: How Scammers Trick You into Compromising Your Own Security—and How to Stop Them

The callback scam and how it works

What makes this case especially unsettling is that the owners did not search for a support number online, which is one of the most common ways people fall into support scams. Instead, they requested a callback directly through their QuickBooks account.

They had already spoken with support twice about the issue, so when the call came, and the person on the line knew the details of the problem, the interaction felt legitimate.

Attackers often rely on a few simple psychological tricks:

• They know the context of the problem. When the caller already understands the issue you reported, the conversation immediately feels credible.

• They use familiar support procedures. Verification codes are something many people expect during account recovery or security checks.

• They create a sense of routine. The interaction follows what feels like a normal customer support process, lowering suspicion.

Once scammers obtain the verification code, they can reset passwords, access accounts, or approve transactions.

Related: How Account Takeovers Hurt Small Hospitality Businesses, And How to Protect Your Bookings

How small businesses can protect themselves 

Stories like this highlight a simple but important rule: never share verification codes with anyone who calls you, even if the person claims to be from a company you trust.

Verification codes are designed to confirm that you are logging in, not to prove your identity to a support agent.

If someone asks for that code over the phone, it should immediately raise a red flag.

How to verify a support callback

If you receive a callback from a company’s support team, take a moment to confirm the call is legitimate:

• End the call and contact support yourself using the official website or the support section inside your account.

• Check your support ticket or case number inside your account dashboard to confirm the request exists.
• Ask the caller to reference the ticket ID you received when opening the support request.

• Never share verification codes or login links sent to your phone or email during the call.

• Be cautious if the caller asks you to install software or approve a login request.

Additional safety steps for small businesses

A few additional precautions can significantly reduce the risk of account takeover:

• Never read back login or verification codes sent to your phone or email

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on financial and accounting platforms

• Limit administrative access to business-critical accounts

• Review transactions regularly for unusual activity

• Keep devices used for financial accounts properly secured

Security tools designed for small businesses can also help detect suspicious login attempts, phishing messages, and account takeover attempts before they lead to financial loss.

Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security adds an extra layer of protection by helping block phishing attempts, detect suspicious activity, and protect the devices employees use to access sensitive business accounts.

Try Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security for free for 30 days.

FAQs

Can customer support ask for verification codes?

No. Verification codes sent to your phone or email are meant only for the account owner. Legitimate support agents should never ask you to read them aloud.

How can you tell if a support callback is a scam?

A support callback may be a scam if the caller asks for verification codes, login approvals, passwords, or remote access to your device. Legitimate support teams will not ask you to read security codes sent to your phone or email. If you feel unsure, end the call and contact the company directly through the official website or your account dashboard.

How do QuickBooks support scams work?

In many cases, scammers pretend to be customer support agents and ask for verification codes, login approvals, or remote access to a device. Once they obtain these details, they can reset passwords, access the account, or move money from connected bank accounts.