This news item expired on Friday, October 31, 2014 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Crooks are using phony invoices to try to trick schools into paying for supplies they never ordered or received. Schools 
around the country, including one in North Carolina, have reported the scam.
The North Carolina school received a real-looking bill for $647.50 from “Scholastic School Supply” in late July. The invoice was paid before officials realized that the school had neither ordered nor received the 50 math books listed on the invoice. When they attempted to contact the company, school officials found that it was just a rented mailbox. The school later got another phony invoice seeking payment for more books but fortunately didn’t pay it.
Scammers are betting that office workers will pay a bill that looks legitimate without checking to see if the goods were received. North Carolina schools should be on the lookout for these phony invoices and notify the Attorney General’s office if they get one. Businesses should also watch out for similar invoice scams.
If you spot a scam, report it to the Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or by filing a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov.