If you own a LaserJet or Inkjet printer, you are more than likely very satisfied with the performance it offers you. On major drawback of these printers is that you will need to replace the toner cartridge in them on occasion. How often will depend on the type of printer and the amount of materials you print.
The toner cartridge industry has become very marketable. Consumers can choose to purchase new toner cartridges, purchase refilled toner cartridges at cheaper rates, or purchase printer toner refill kits to do it themselves. All of these products can be purchased at retail stores, print supply shops, and online.
Scams involving printer toner cost businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals approximately $200 million per year. The government stepped in because of so many complaints regarding this type of situation. In March of 2000, the Federal Trade Commission on Office Supply Fraud began working on processing laws regarding office supply fraud cases.
The majority of ways these scams work are pretending to sell one product but actually giving the customer another, yet charging for the product they thought they were getting. In printer toner related cases, businesses thought they were buying new toner cartridges and that is what they were charged for. What they received were refilled toner cartridges packaged as new toner cartridges.
Another scam involves billing customers for items they never received. This is done one of two ways. One is to increase the number of items on the bill. For example, if you order 10 toner cartridges, the bill might be for 12. The other billing scam involves sending a duplicate bill with a different date. This makes it appear to the accounts payable clerk that they ordered twice, so they pay it twice.
This is a good trick because if anyone questions it, they can say that the second bill went out before they received payment. That the two must have crossed in the mail, then tell the business to simply disregard that second bill. Too often these bills are simply paid in full without question.
After completing a full investigation, the Federal Trade Commission established BOSS, Banish Office Supply Scams. Action will be taken against anyone or any business participating in unfair acts or deceptive practices. Those involved with be charged with various criminal felonies as well as required to pay restitution to those who lost funds to them. However, it is often difficult to track down the actual persons involved in these flight by night scams. The scams work well because the bills often blend in with what everyone else is sending.
One such scammer was caught. In exchange for a lighter sentence, he gave the Federal Trade Commission valuable information on how the scams work. He explained how computer software that allows legitimate businesses to create their own invoices makes the billing scam very easy. Also, the people at the businesses he calls are often too busy to look into the information to see if such an order was actually placed. This scam artist admitted to scamming over 23,000 individuals and businesses in a four year period.
To protect yourself and your business for such scams, only order supplies from established, reputable businesses. Take a few minutes to research the company name with the Better Business Bureau. Be wary of unknown suppliers with generic names as well as those that don’t furnish a physical address.
If anyone calls you to confirm delivery of an order of printer toner or other office supplies, do not just assume someone ordered it. Get their name and phone number. Give the information to your supervisor who can then verify that an actual order was placed for such items. It may seem silly to you, but from 1995 to 1999, the Federal Trade Commission logged over 4,000 complaints relating to toner phone fraud. It is everyone’s responsibility to do whatever we can to stop this trend of toner cartridge fraud from taking place.