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In a
false invoicing scheme, a swindler sends the business an
authentic-looking professionally-produced invoice for products or
services which were never ordered or received. The swindler expects
that a percentage of companies will process and pay the invoice
without scrutiny.
The USPIS reports that in recent years, "false billers"
have sometimes telephoned companies before mailing spurious
billings. High pressure telephone sales persons then entice
employees into purchasing a variety of products at exorbitant
prices. These sales persons may falsely claim that the
business has already ordered the product, either currently or in the
past.
Common variations of the false billing scheme include the following:
Solicitation
of contributions for nonexistent minority organizations or causes
where the caller tells a company officer he represents such a
group and the business previously advertised and authorization is
require for the coming year's publication.
Solicitation of payments on previously mailed bills for
imaginary or useless business directories.
Enforcement of payments for previously mailed invoices
for office supplies or services never ordered or received by the
company.
These scams can best be avoided
by applying reasonable controls in accounts payable procedures and
practices.
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