Have you ever been the victim of fraud?
While you might have felt embarrassed at the time, you really shouldn’t feel bad about it. Fraudsters are really skilled at what they do, which explains why a July 2025 survey found that almost three-quarters of Americans admitted to being the victim of things like credit card fraud, ransomware, or online shopping scams.
Sometimes, these frauds are relatively minor. For example, some business owners have recounted stories of people doing false chargebacks on purchases. Other times, however, these fraud schemes can be pretty involved. Take, for example, the case of the Texas woman who was falsely claimed as deceased so that someone could take over her house.
Now, a user on TikTok is warning viewers about a sophisticated Klarna scam. Here’s what happened—and how she got her money back.
How Did This Woman Get Scammed Via Klarna?
In a video with over 19,000 views, TikToker Courtney Robb (@thecourtneyrobb) recounts how she got scammed via Klarna.
According to Robb, she made a purchase using Klarna, something she says she “never” does.
“I used to when I was in college, but haven’t since. But I recently did because I was like, ‘Yeah, I have the money in my account, but why not just pay over time? There’s no interest, and I’ll keep some money in my account in case I wanna do something else, right?’” she details. “That’s how they get us all.”
Soon after, Robb went on a camping vacation. In the middle of the night, she started getting calls from an unfamiliar number. While Robbe doesn’t usually pick up calls like these, she says the number simply kept calling over and over.
“I think it was eight phone calls in total,” Robb says. “And my partner next to me, who’s also trying to sleep at four AM, says, ‘What would happen if you answered it?’”
And so, Robb answered the call.
One Phone Call Leads to a Klarna Scam
Robb says that, when she picked up the phone, she was greeted by a robotic voice telling her that fraud was suspected on her Klarna account.
Soon, she says she was sent codes and asked to confirm her phone number and email address. She did — unknowingly giving fraudsters access to her account.
“Don’t ever do that,” she advises. “But I did.”
Immediately after confirming her account, she says that the scammers used her Klarna account to buy $1,000 in DoorDash gift cards.
How Did She Get Her Money Back?
After realizing what was happening, Robb turned off her card via her banking app. She also called her bank, and they canceled the card and sent her a new one.
From there, she reached out to Klarna, which she described as a “wildly unhelpful” experience.
“I’m asking questions about the investigation. Like, ‘Is there a report number or something that I can follow so I can track my issue?’ ‘Will I be getting email updates, phone calls?’ Nope, nope, nope. None of that,” she recalls. “But they will look into it internally and I may have an answer in 30 days.”
Thankfully, all of the money was returning to Robb’s account in the coming days. Still, she says that the experience has dissuaded her from using the service altogether.
“Rest assured, as soon as I get my new credit card, I am paying off that Klarna purchase and closing that account forever,” she declares.
How Common Are Klarna Scams?
While there’s no specific data about scams related to Klarna specifically, any service involving payment is likely to become a target of fraudsters.
On Klarna’s website, the company advises against the behavior exhibited by Robb. The website specifically states, “Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you’re dealing with. Klarna will never ask you for your credentials over the phone, email or SMS.”
The site even mentions the Robocall scam to which Robb fell victim.
If one does suspect they are being scammed, they should follow the steps taken by Robb. Report the issue to your bank and to Klarna, and make sure that all possible payment methods are either shut down or removed from the account to ensure no further charges.
Klarna responds
In an email, a Klarna spokesperson shared the following: “Unfortunately, scammers sometimes misuse Klarna’s name, as well as those of other trusted companies, to carry out fraud. We take this very seriously and are fully committed to protecting our customers. Anyone who receives a suspicious message claiming to be from Klarna should report it immediately via our phishing form and to the relevant authorities.”
@thecourtneyrobb I’ll be closing a lot of accounts over the next few days #scam #klarna #doordash ♬ original sound – Courtney
Commenters Say It Happens More Often Than You’d Think
In the comments section, users noted the unfortunate ubiquity of these scams, as well as offering their own advice about how to handle them.
“I work for a bank. Everyday hundreds of people fall for this,” wrote a user.
“You’re not dumb. It can happen to anyone. They play on the pressure of the moment. The do the whole we-have-to-take-action-now mentality to get you to make a mistake,” added another. “The best thing you can do is spread awareness so it doesn’t happen to others.”
“I’m sorry this happened to you & thank you for sharing for others to be aware!” echoed a third. “One suggestion for when you go to pay off the account – pay it off with a VISA gift card, so your new information is not in any way available should someone that shouldn’t still have access.”
The Mary Sue reached out to Klarna via email, DoorDash via email, and Robb via TikTok DM and comment.
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