This is a warning to businesses throughout the area regarding a scam.

On November 18th, a local pet clinic received a shipment of cleaning supplies which they had not ordered.  With the supplies arrived a packing slip but no invoice.  The conditions of the order included a cost to return the items or interest charges being added to the bill which was yet to arrive.

The clinic initially accepted the order thinking that it was legitimate.  Additionally they got a call just before it arrived confirming the order and asking for their clinic’s address.

The clinic is not the first business to be hit with this scam which increasingly adds interest charges to the bill, with the intent to force the business to pay the bill without further questions being asked.

To prevent being the victim of such a scam, here are some tips to consider:

• Have one person in your business responsible for all ordering.
• Be diligent in recording each order made, including company ordered from, items orders, date ordered and order number.
• Don’t accept the delivery of any items unless you can confirm through records, that the order is legitimate and expected.
• Don’t pay any invoice for orders that don’t belong to your business.
• Pay for all your orders with a credit card.  This method instantly tracks where your money is going and allows you to address problems before your business is out of pocket.
• Report any suspicious orders to police.

(09-28901)