Beware: Toner Pirates
To all Eagle Customers:
You may have experienced at one time or another someone calling to ask about your copier or tell you about a great deal on toner. Please be aware that the “Toner Pirates” have learned how to gather information then call back later to try to fool you into ordering toner at a “Special Price” The “Toner Pirates” are pros at getting one person to order toner and then hope that someone else will pay the invoice without checking into existing contracts (which 99% of our customers have)! We have even had the “pirates” say they were your Service Technician from Eagle! Fortunately our customer knew what to do and recognized that it was not an Eagle employee.
The majority of Eagle customers have service that includes toner. That is why we want to make sure that you are aware of the pirating scams that are targeting businesses like yours so you don’t become a victim. In most cases, simply asking for a number you can call the “pirate” back at will end the call. The phony “pirate” will simply hang up!
Toshiba is on top of the latest pirating techniques and is offering tips on how to be prepared when answering your phone. Please carefully review the following information and pass it along to everyone in your organization that is involved in answering the phone, calling for service, paying the invoices and anyone responsible for decisions regarding the copier(s). The owner or manager should also be made aware of this. Please don’t hesitate to call Eagle with any questions about these so called “toner pirates” or for help with your business needs.
Sincerely,
Charlie Nichols, Chief Operating Officer
Eagle Business Solutions
1-800-326-3398
Toshiba has uncovered some best practices to avoid getting caught off guard with a toner or other supply scam. Please carefully review the following information:
• COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
Most of these telephone solicitors will identify themselves to sound like a government agency or well known company or as your regular supplier without mentioning his/her company name. The invoice will most likely come from a “Distribution” company, different from the company that made the initial sales call.
• KEY TACTICS
• Pretender Scam: Caller pretends to be your regular supplier or in some cases, the manufacturer and falsely claims that prices are going up or other tactics of sale due to surplus, etc.
• Phony-Invoice Scam Caller gets an employees name and address so that your organization can be shipped and billed for unordered goods or services.
• Gift-Horse Scam Caller tricks an employee into accepting a gift – a free promotional item—with a passing reference to identify merchandise used and will send overpriced, unordered merchandise, followed by an invoice with the employees name. They hope that your organization will think that they have to play as a result of your blunder.
• Invoice Collection Scam These scam artists will send as many invoices as it takes to get your money with invoices often stamped with “Past Due”. They will in some cases resort to bogus collection agencies and threats of legal action.
• Brush Off Scam If an organization complains that they didn’t order the merchandise or that the price is too high, the scam artist will either 1. bully—state that they have a recording of acceptance or that they can take you to court, 2. Negotiating—seller agrees to accept a lower price, 3. Charging for returned merchandise—seller claims to charge a restocking fee for returning goods.
• STEPS TO TAKE TO AVOID OFFICE SUPPLY FRAUD
1. Know your rights
• If you receive supplies or bills for services that you didn’t order, don’t pay, and don’t return the unordered merchandise.
• Treat any unordered merchandise you receive as a gift.
• It’s illegal for a seller to send you bills or dunning notices for merchandise you didn’t order or ask you to send back the merchandise if the seller offers to pay the shipping cost.
• Remember that a contract is nonbinding if the company misrepresented themselves to be your normal supplier.
2. Assign designated buyers and track your purchases
It is important to assign specific employees as buyers. Those buyers are the only ones that should be assigning purchase order numbers and ensuring that they are included on the invoice and bill of lading. They should also be responsible for sending a copy of the purchase orders to accounts payable.
3. Check all documentation before you pay the bills
Your receiving department should be checking to make sure that your purchase orders match the bill of lading. Brands and quantities should be checked closely and if it doesn’t match it should be refused. Bill of ladings should be forwarded to your accounts payable and further scrutinized.
4. Train your staff
Train everyone in how to respond to telemarketers. (ex: I am not authorized to place orders. If you want to see something you must talk to _____and to get a purchase order). Establish a team of designated buyers, receivers and accounts payable reps and develop standardized buying procedures.
5. Report fraud
Report office supply scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC—www.ftc.gov – online complaint form) or toll free by phone at (877) FTC-HELP (382-4357), your State Attorney General, local consumer protection office or Better Business Bureau and your authorized Toshiba dealer.