Scenario: You receive an invoice for office supplies or to renew your ad in the Yellow Pages.

Scam: You never ordered any supplies, or the ad has nothing to do with the Yellow Pages that are produced by your local phone company.

• Anyone can use the "fingers walking" logo and the term "Yellow Pages" because they were never trademarked or copyrighted. So an invoice for advertising in a Yellow Pages directory may have nothing to do with the Yellow Pages produced and distributed by your local telephone company.
• Some independent companies produce alternative business directories. The value of advertising in them depends on how well they are promoted and distributed. Con artists may actually produce the directories that businesses pay to advertise in, but will only have limited numbers printed and will distribute them to other advertisers rather than to potential customers.
• If you are solicited to advertise in a directory or other publication, check out the company and the offer carefully. See advertising materials for more advice.
• Con artists send bogus invoices for what appear to be phone directory listings or for office supplies that were never ordered or delivered, hoping that no one will check before paying them. In most legitimate directories, a line listing is free. Advertisers are asked to pay for large, bold listings or display ads. Educate the person responsible for your bills about how to recognize bogus invoices.
• If a mailing looks like a bill or an invoice but it is only a solicitation for an order, U.S. Postal regulations require it to say "THIS IS NOT A BILL. THIS IS A SOLICITATION. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PAY THE AMOUNT STATED ABOVE UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER." While this disclosure is supposed to be in boldface capital letters that are at least as large as the largest type on the solicitation, it could still be overlooked or misunderstood.
• Be wary of any invoice that doesn't include the telephone number for the vendor. Fraudulent companies don't want people to call them with questions or complaints.
• Compare the account number on the invoice with the account number you have with your regular vendor. If it doesn't match, the invoice may be bogus.
• Don't be pressured into paying for goods or services you never ordered. Fraudulent companies often use threats of collection or legal action to try to get payment for bogus invoices.
• Report bogus invoices to law enforcement authorities.