Scam Alert: Solicitations Disguised as Invoices Get Bolder

Scam Alert: Solicitations Disguised as –Invoices” Get Bolder

The New Jersey Coalition of Auto Retailers (NJ CAR) is reporting that some of its member dealerships have recently received an –invoice” for a one-year subscription to a monthly –Worldwide IT Research Report.” Because invoice scams have a way of traveling, WANADA dealers should be on alert to this whopping $4,995 invoice which is addressed to the accounts payable department of the dealership, references the dealer principal as the –customer,” and is assigned an order number. In the description of the report, it states –Donêt miss a single issue. You will not receive your next issue unless you order now,” which makes it sound like there is an existing subscription.

The London-based company that sent this –invoice” states on the bottom of the document that, –this is not a bill. This is a solicitation. You are under no obligation to pay the amount stated above unless you accept this offer.” It also provides the recipient with the opportunity to be removed from future mailing lists by writing –remove” on the form and returning it to the company. Because it has those warnings, this big-dollar –invoice” is not as blatant as other invoice scams that give no indication that the service or product has not been previously ordered. It does, however, show why it is important to read any invoice you receive in its entirety.

WANADA joins with NJ CAR in encouraging dealers to use purchase order numbers that can be matched with services or products ordered. If the number assigned by the dealership does not match or does not appear on an invoice, it can serve as a –red flag” that the issue needs to be investigated further.