First Nation Direct

Type of a scam Fake Invoice/Supplier Bill

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On or about May 2, 2017, Morgan Andrews from First Nation Direct contacted a Health Canada employee in Sturgeon Lake to offer toner for purchase for the photocopier. The employee thought they were speaking with someone from Xerox. The call was taped and I have a copy of a portion of the audio tape, but I am not able to save it, therefore cannot upload it.

On or about June 20, 2017, the employee received an invoice in the amount of $1989.17 for two over-priced toners that had not yet been delivered. The invoice was then forwarded me because, as the manager of First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Alberta Region (FNIHB-AB), I follow up on these types of issues.

The company can be very difficult to get in touch with.Tactics used were high pressure sales and a threat to send the overdue account to collections.

The business is not registered with the ScamPulse.com and the phone number is not listed with the province’s primary land line provider (Telus). I asked the company for a GST number, which they provided: 815895784. I contacted CRA and the GST number does not match the name on their records.

In conversations with various Health Canada branches, I was advised not to pay this invoice.

On Aug 24, 2017, I went to the address on the invoice. The address is a post office rental business. All envelopes sent to the post office box are forwarded to an address in California; parcels are not accepted or forwarded, so are returned to sender.

I have the names and phone numbers of the rental box owners; a California address is on the post office file. The box was rented on Nov 10, 2016 and is due to expire on Nov 10, 2017.