What's new

Invoice

jojo

Patron
Today I received an invoice (one of many) from AOLA for $175.00. I well recall that nobody receives services unless fully paid up front. These invoices never say what they are for. Just an invoice with an amount and the statement: "Make checks payable to Church of Scientology AOLA."

I wonder how many people would send me money if I sent out random invoices that only had an amount and a statement to make the checks payable to me?
 

LongTimeGone

Silver Meritorious Patron
Today I received an invoice (one of many) from AOLA for $175.00. I well recall that nobody receives services unless fully paid up front. These invoices never say what they are for. Just an invoice with an amount and the statement: "Make checks payable to Church of Scientology AOLA."

I wonder how many people would send me money if I sent out random invoices that only had an amount and a statement to make the checks payable to me?

Good question.
Why don't you try it?
Send an invoice to your local org.
LTG
 

jenni with an eye

Silver Meritorious Patron
Today I received an invoice (one of many) from AOLA for $175.00. I well recall that nobody receives services unless fully paid up front. These invoices never say what they are for. Just an invoice with an amount and the statement: "Make checks payable to Church of Scientology AOLA."

I wonder how many people would send me money if I sent out random invoices that only had an amount and a statement to make the checks payable to me?

Maybe you should send an invoice back to them for wasting your time :giggle:
 

Mystic

Crusader
Today I received an invoice (one of many) from AOLA for $175.00. I well recall that nobody receives services unless fully paid up front. These invoices never say what they are for. Just an invoice with an amount and the statement: "Make checks payable to Church of Scientology AOLA."

I wonder how many people would send me money if I sent out random invoices that only had an amount and a statement to make the checks payable to me?

Oh this is great. Make a copy you can post to the internet...oh yes oh yes oh yes. The free world would have a ball with it. Be sure to obliterate your name and address if you want.
 

jojo

Patron
Oh this is great. Make a copy you can post to the internet...oh yes oh yes oh yes. The free world would have a ball with it. Be sure to obliterate your name and address if you want.

Great idea Mystic. I'll post it in a little while.
 

freethinker

Sponsor
Their invoices per tax compliance with the IRS are supposed to state what the money is for.

It is also supposed to be signed.

Can you strip off personal data and post it?
 

Miss Pert

Silver Meritorious Patron
Maybe you should send an invoice back to them for wasting your time :giggle:

Don't laugh Jen. When I was working for that junk mail company there was a guy that was sending the flyers back to the businesses advertised with invoices for $95.00 to cover his "mail processing fee." :yes: Some of the advertisers took it seriously and were actually paying him :duh:. Maybe you should give it a try Jojo. :biggrin:
 

jojo

Patron
Don't laugh Jen. When I was working for that junk mail company there was a guy that was sending the flyers back to the businesses advertised with invoices for $95.00 to cover his "mail processing fee." :yes: Some of the advertisers took it seriously and were actually paying him :duh:. Maybe you should give it a try Jojo. :biggrin:

LOL. I wish I was that brazen. I have to dig it out of the trash. I promise I'll post it tomorrow. :)
 

Panda Termint

Cabal Of One
Jojo, Don't forget to cover/hide the Invoice # if you don't want them to know who you are.

PS: They probably know already. :duh:
 

Truth&Honesty

Patron with Honors
.

Jojo,

It sounds like the COS has just committed a federal crime by sending you a fraudulent invoice. Here are some references below, you may want to file a complaint with the US Postal Inspection Service https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/filecomplaint.aspx



Wikipedia-


Mail fraud is an offense under United States federal law, which includes any scheme that attempts to unlawfully obtain money or valuables in which the postal system is used at any point in the commission of a criminal offense. Mail fraud is covered by Title 18 of the United States Code, Chapter 63. As in the case of wire fraud, this statute is often used as a basis for a separate federal prosecution of what would otherwise have been only a violation of a state law. .... In the 1960s and '70s, inspectors under regional chief postal inspectors such as Martin McGee, known as "Mr. Mail Fraud," exposed and prosecuted numerous swindles involving land sales, phony advertising practices, insurance ripoffs and fraudulent charitable organizations using mail fraud charges.[1]


Solicitations Disguised as Invoices

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/...fraudschemes/financialfraud/InvoiceFraud.aspx

Don't be victimized by con artists who try to get your company to order goods or services by mailing you solicitations designed to look like invoices. The unscrupulous individuals who mail these know that some unsuspecting managers and employees will be fooled by their appearance and will automatically remit payment, thinking the company had placed an order.

Title 39, United States Code, Section 3001, makes it illegal to mail a solicitation in the form of an invoice, bill, or statement of account due unless it conspicuously bears a notice on its face that it is, in fact, merely a solicitation. This disclaimer must be in very large (at least 30-point) type and must be in boldface capital letters in a color that contrasts prominently with the background against which it appears.

The disclaimer must not be modified, qualified, or explained, such as with the phrase "Legal notice required by law." It must be the one prescribed in the statute, or alternatively, the following notice prescribed by the U.S. Postal Service: 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.

Some solicitations disguise their true nature. Others identify themselves as solicitations, but only in the "fine print." In either case, protect your company's assets by withholding payment until you have verified whether your company actually ordered and received the goods or services reflected on the document. If not, do not pay. You may have received a solicitation in the guise of an invoice.

A solicitation whose appearance does not conform to the requirements of Title 39, United States Code, Section 3001, constitutes prima facie evidence of violation of the federal False Representation Statute (Title 39, United States Code, Section 3005). Therefore, solicitations in the form of invoices, bills, or statements of account due which do not contain the large and conspicuous disclaimer required by the law will not be carried or delivered by mail if they come to the attention of the Postal Service, and will be disposed of as the Postal Service shall direct.

Con artists often make large mailings of illegal solicitations. Even if you are not fooled, you can help the Postal Inspection Service learn of such mailings by reporting the receipt of non-conforming solicitations to your local postmaster or the nearest Postal Inspector. The Postal Inspection Service may be able to prevent other business people from being victimized.


Good luck, and hope this helps

T&H
.
 

Auditor's Toad

Clear as Mud

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire

This is not an invoice. It is a statement (says so at the bottom) showing a negative balance of $174 and a request for payment of this total. The item(s) making up this balance should have been detailed on the relevant invoices.

Invoices and statements are different, even if they might look similar. Before computers came into the picture, the difference was obvious as Scn invoices were handwritten 4 or 5-part copy sets on invoice machines, and statements were photocopies of hand-updated sheets of paper in the accounts folder. A statement is a summary of the transactions for a certain time period. This statement shows no new transactions in the time period listed (30 Jun - 4 Aug), which is why no invoice numbers or dates are shown on it.

Paul
 

jojo

Patron
This is not an invoice. It is a statement (says so at the bottom) showing a negative balance of $174 and a request for payment of this total. The item(s) making up this balance should have been detailed on the relevant invoices.

Invoices and statements are different, even if they might look similar. Before computers came into the picture, the difference was obvious as Scn invoices were handwritten 4 or 5-part copy sets on invoice machines, and statements were photocopies of hand-updated sheets of paper in the accounts folder. A statement is a summary of the transactions for a certain time period. This statement shows no new transactions in the time period listed (30 Jun - 4 Aug), which is why no invoice numbers or dates are shown on it.

Paul

Well thank you for the explanation Paul. I haven't been onlines for over 11 years and was never on AOLA lines that I can recall. I still have no idea what this would be for. Since there are no invoice numbers or services referenced how could anyone know whether this is legitimate or not?
 

Mystic

Crusader
Your state Attorney General might find that "statement" interesting. Sure looks scammy, like FRAUD.
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
Since there are no invoice numbers or services referenced how could anyone know whether this is legitimate or not?

The general idea is that each transaction is recorded on an invoice, a copy of which you get to keep. The statement is just a summary of the invoices for the period in question. If the customer, years later, has forgotten or lost the particular transaction invoice(s), one can write or telephone them and ask for a copy of the relevant invoices. They can easily be generated and sent out, especially if they think you might pay. :)

Ask for the relevant invoices and you should then be able to see what makes up that balance.

Paul
 

jojo

Patron
The general idea is that each transaction is recorded on an invoice, a copy of which you get to keep. The statement is just a summary of the invoices for the period in question. If the customer, years later, has forgotten or lost the particular transaction invoice(s), one can write or telephone them and ask for a copy of the relevant invoices. They can easily be generated and sent out, especially if they think you might pay. :)

Ask for the relevant invoices and you should then be able to see what makes up that balance.

Paul
Since I have no desire to communicate with anyone in the CO$ I will refrain from asking any questions. It's bad enough I put up with the constant junk mail. But thank you for your helpful reply.
 
Top