Warning issued about phony school book invoices
Schools across the country are being targeted by a scam that involves phony invoices being sent for workbooks that don't exist, New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said on Tuesday.
Invoices come from a fictitious sound-alike company called "Scholastic School Supply" that sends invoices for English or math practice books. The invoices are typically for $647.50, according to the Better Business Bureau, which issued an alert about the scam after receiving a spate of inquiries and complaints. The ISBN numbers that identify the books don't exist, the BBB said.
The scam has been reported in at least 22 states, New York's Attorney General said.
Scholastic Inc., the popular seller of books to schools, issued a statement making clear that the invoices have nothing to do with the well-established company.
"Scholastic School Supply is not affiliated with Scholastic. It is a company that is illegally using Scholastic's name and trademark," Scholastic's statement said. "We only recently became aware of them, but our legal department has demanded that they cease and desist using Scholastic's name and trademark, which they have agreed to do but have not done yet."
The scam company uses a Las Vegas mailing address as well as one in Sewell, N.J. Both addresses are mail drops, the BBB said, not the location of the actual business.
New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman's office said the phony invoices were sent to at least four New York school districts and have included self-addressed stamped envelopes.
The BBB recommends that any schools that receive the bogus invoices should contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or the Federal Trade Commission.
