The Office Supply Scam That Nearly Tricked My Business

Running a mid-sized office, I handle all the orders for supplies — from printer paper to ink cartridges — to keep things running smoothly. One day, I received a call from what seemed like a regular supplier, offering a deal on bulk office supplies at a discount. They mentioned that we had done business before, and their offer seemed reasonable. Needing to restock, I placed an order without overthinking it.

A few days later, an invoice arrived for an amount far higher than what had been discussed. Confused, I contacted the supplier, only to be told that I had agreed to purchase several items I didn’t remember ordering. The invoice was padded with unnecessary products, and their prices were much higher than market rates. When I tried to cancel, they claimed I couldn’t back out of the deal since I had already accepted the delivery.

That’s when I realized I had fallen victim to an office supply scam. Scammers often pretend to be regular vendors, tricking businesses into buying overpriced, unnecessary items. In my case, they hoped that, in the rush of daily operations, I wouldn’t notice the inflated invoice or feel too busy to fight the charges.

I reported the incident and refused to pay for the goods. It took some effort to clear things up, but I learned a valuable lesson: always double-check the legitimacy of vendors, and never make purchases over the phone without written confirmation of the order details.

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