Lafayette, New Iberia Business Owners Being Warned about Invoice Scam

(Lafayette, LA) - Doing business in this day and age can be chaotic, as people are doing more work at a faster pace, and that's one reason the Better Business Bureau is warning businesses in Lafayette and New Iberia to be watchful for fake invoices from scammers just trying to rip you off.

Scammers Are Sending Fake Invoices to Lafayette and New Iberia Businesses

Whether you own a small business or you work for a major employer, anyone can fall victim to this scam, as the invoices look just true enough to seem legitimate.

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The BBB Scam Tracker is a place where you can report if you have been the victim of a scam, or if you want to alert others that potential scammers might be using a certain method to fleece businesses. The latest scams being reported involved invoices for search-engine optimization and website monitoring.

Lafayette, New Iberia and Other Acadiana Businesses Report Scam Attempts

Other communities have also reported similar scams in their areas. Businesses that reported earlier in August said they received invoices for services they never contracted for. The invoices came in via fax.

How Scammers Are Trying to Scam Acadiana Businesses

One of the fake invoices sent in Lafayette included a detailed list of alleged services and a "bill" totaling $479.85. Another fake invoice had the correct name of a local physician, but the business address was outdated.

When paying invoices, it's another task to be done at work during extremely busy times, and sometimes you can go through paying them one after another, especially if you work in a very large office. The BBB recommends always checking invoices against records to make sure they are valid.

Double-check by making sure of the following:

• The invoice matches a contract
• You have a valid purchase order
• You have an established relationship with the vendor

Anytime you come across something like this, especially if you have fallen victim to the scam, it's important to report it to your bank, authorities, and report the incident on BBB Scam Tracker.