Schools Get Invoice for Fake School Supplies

When oversight of spending is not in place its easy to miss getting ripped off by vendors.  

The Better Business Bureau issued a warning about school systems getting invoices for fake school supplies.  

From the article:

September 11, 2014

Better Business Bureau is warning schools and school districts across the country about possible fake invoices for educational supplies. In the past few weeks, there has been a rush of complaints filed with BBB against “Scholastic School Supply,” which claim either a Nevada or New Jersey address that turn out to be mail drops.BBB Serving Southern Nevada received its first complaint against Scholastic School Supply on August 20, 2014, and since then has received nearly 70 complaints from schools across the country. The company’s online BBB Business Review has also received more than 3,000 inquiries; there is an Alert posted there so that visitors are able to confirm the suspicious nature of the invoice. The company maintains a mail drop in Sewell, New Jersey, as well as Las Vegas, and BBB New Jersey has received more than 20 complaints so far.The bogus invoices have been for $647.50 for the bulk purchase of “English-Language Arts Practice Books” or $388.50 for math workbooks (although the amounts and products could change at any time). Complainants say they cannot reach the company to inquire about the products or amounts allegedly owed, and all have denied ever doing business with the company previously. . . . 

So far, none of the complainants have sent money; however, BBB has no way of knowing if any schools have unknowingly paid the invoice, since they would not have filed a complaint.

The question for our lovely Montgomery County Board of Education is -

• Have we received one of these fake invoices?

A better question is

• Would our accounting systems be able to detect a fraudulent invoice?

I have my own thoughts on this, but I'd love to get an assurance from the MCPS Board of Education and its financial gurus that they are taking their responsibilities seriously and protecting precious and limited taxpayer dollars.

Care to comment, Phil?