Forge the product, not the invoice
As a small business owner I seek to build my brand. A huge step forward in this process is registering your brand. Today my brand got approved by the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property, the registration office for trademarks and designs in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg and registered in their database.
Once registered in a public database, it doesn't take long for fraudsters to find you. To date I have received three 'offers' posing as invoices. The invoices look pretty convincing I must say. Examples, similar to the ones I have received can be found here.
Now, apparently this type of invoice fraud pays off, and it seems as if not much can be done about it. But I was annoyed. So, I called the bank listed on the invoice. Bulgaria. Broken English.
I cannot say it was a very successful conversation; they 'informed' me that the invoice was probably sent in mistake. Still, it is their duty to know their customers and to make a choice about who can bank with them. The ball is in their court now. And as for me and my annoyance, my brother dryly remarked that at the very least I am getting noticed by the public. Mission halfway there.
Add comment
Comments