We get so many bills each month, who can keep track? That’s what a lot of phony invoicers are counting on. You may get a dry cleaning bill or “service charge” or an “upgrade fee” or some other vaguely described invoice for a small amount of money. Commonly the charge will be less than $20, and will more likely be a more convincing non-rounded number.

The bogus bill used to be in the form of an authentic looking invoice in the mail, usually payable to a Post Office box. More recently email - sometimes with a back-up website - will be the devious device.

With Internet technology, email accounts and web sites can be set up instantly and for no money. If you notice anything awry in either the email or the web site - such as misspelled words, use of a a free email service instead of a private web site’s own POP address, or a suspicious web site address (if it doesn’t end in “.com” you may reasonably suspect it) - don’t just mindlessly pay the invoice.

Mindless is the scammer’s friend. He or she is looking for the victim who merely pays invoices without question. Small businesses, the elderly, and some just plain busy folks fall for this with surprising ease. The bill is quickly and efficiently paid, and an accountant or relative reviews the transactions monthly. Too late!

This is how one of the more devious and damaging versions of the scheme can work: Using bogus information, a scammer can create a free web site and a free email account. The web site is set up to capture credit card or checking account information. He or she then sends out thousands of email invoices in just one day. Each invoice is for $17.95 to pay for a one-year renewal of some common service.

Most people will see this as a mistake or scam. Some may even report it, but it’s already too late. Let’s say the scammers sent 10,000 email invoices. If only one percent (1%) of these bogus bills are paid, that’s 100 X $17.95, or $1,795.00 collected.

But why should they stop there? With the credit card and checking account information of 100 victims, the scammers can tap tens of thousands of dollars more within one day of sending out the invoices. Hit and run, they’ll never be traced.

Be very wary of invoices like the following:

• You don’t recognize the company, service, or product.
• They are offering an early payment discount.
• They are offering a free trial, but need your payment information to confirm your identity.
• The charge is an unpaid fine.
• The charge is an outstanding medical bill not covered by insurance.

Furthermore:

• If you didn’t order the service or product, you do not have to pay for it.
• Seek confirmation by telephone; scammers use bogus numbers.
• Don’t pay a bill unless you know what it is.
• Don’t let your secretary pay such bills without confirmation.
• Spouses should check with each other.
• The short-of-memory should hire accountants.

Scrud Kelley

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