One scam begins with a phone call and a question about a printer.
“Receptionists would get a call mysterious cyber call where someone is seeking to know the printer type... they wanted to know what type of printer they used,” says Kim Gordon, US Postal Inspector.
The caller would also want to know the name of the person on the other end of the line.
“Shortly after that, the company would receive via fax or the US mail an invoice that looked like a legitimate invoice that they owed over $1,000 for toner cartridge and it was directed to the person who answered the phone,” says Gordon.
Postal inspectors began tracking the case after they and the Better Business Bureau received dozens of complaints.
“They send the invoices hoping this employee will pay the invoice they will think its legitimate company supplier of toner cartridge,” says Gordon.
Most businesses have a printer or copying machine and a need for toner, so the conmen assume no one will question the invoice.
“If they do pay the invoice... they will get more invoices in increasing amounts. The first one could be $1000 the next one could by $3,000 to $4,000,” says Gordon.
More than 60 victims lost $80-thousand dollars in this scam.
Some advice from Postal inspectors read all invoices carefully and never assume you owe money just because someone sent an invoice.
