Beware of the following scam – a well spoken person calls your admin department and says he/she is calling from one of your clients, and that their server is down so they have not been able to pay you. Please will you fax through the latest invoice. They may also provide an e-mail account.
They are nowhere near your client, but have accessed your clients database of creditors in some way.
What they then do is to submit the invoice on your behalf – with new banking details.
If the client is not concentrating (or it is a job with inside help), they change the details and make the payment to the scammer.
So, if your ‘client’ is asking for an invoice, check first to see if the caller is legit.
And, if you receive a notice of change of banking details from a supplier, check personally to see if it is legit.
FICA rules seem to work mainly for those who are law abiding.
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One thing that irritates me in terms of invoices, totally different to this scenario, is when a “supposed guest” makes a’ booking’ for accommodation and asks that you send through an invoice to enable them to draw the cash to pay you on arrival…you send through the invoice never to hear from them again. What the person does is draw the cash, stays with a friend or perhaps never takes the anticipated trip. This is done by people from many different departments,organisations & businesses. It is just another form of theft / fraud? We now no longer issue Pro Forma Invoices or Invoices – until the deposit indicating intent on their part has been received. – A non refundable deposit!
Any ideas on this one?
If the invoice is to a company then find the contact details of the accountant and send a credit note to the accountant.
Or insist on payment into your account only.
Agree with Homeleigh Halt, receive a ‘booking’ then asked to email the invoice and that is that, never receive payment nor cancellation.