9:26 AM
The Background
Recently, a company asked me to review an invoice they received from what appeared to be a reputable and large company, DNS Services (DNSsvc.com). They had never heard of this company and had not contracted with the for any services.
The Invoice Scam
Some companies scam people into becoming customers and paying for a service they don't need or want. Especially with large companies where the person paying the bills is not always aware of the actions of people who spend the money. These fake invoices will generally be low amounts and appear very professional, since the bill payer will most likely write it off as a one time cost and asking around about it could cause headaches. This particular company has gone to great lengths to appear professional including a website (probably from a cheap template).
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| DNS Services Website |
Pocketbook Protection: Detecting An Invoice
These documents are generally void of specific details and are required by law to include a clause explaining the purpose of the document (which happens to appear like an invoice). Looking at the document below, notice there is no Due Date for payment listed. Also, note the text I highlighted text on the page:
THIS IS A SOLICITATION FOR THE ORDER OF GOODS OR SERVICES, OR BOTH, AND NOT A BILL, INVOICE, OR STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT DUE. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT OF THIS OFFER UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER.
Summary
As you can tell, this is not an invoice, but if you submit $65 and return it, you are contracted to have this service. The clause listed above also legally protects this company from anyone filing a law suit against them for fraud. If you're not sure if it is a true invoice, always look for clues that it is not a real invoice.
Original Document (minus company specifics)
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| DNS Services (DNSsvc.com) Fake Invoice (actually a solicitation) |
