The International Transportation Intermediaries Club (ITIC) alerts members and the shipping industry of the increased reports of fraudulent invoices concerning medical testing services following the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
Specifically, ITIC informed that they have been receiving a number of reports of fraudulent invoices being submitted to vessel owners and managers for medical testing services following the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Therefore, the Club highlights that fraudulent invoices often include easily-detected errors, which can be found by those responsible for settling disbursement accounts.
For example, a recent case involved an invoice where the vessel was listed with an incorrect flag. By simply checking with the vessel’s master it was quickly confirmed that the invoice was fraudulent
… ITIC recommends.
In light of the above, ITIC urges the industry to be extra cautious and vigilant in those cases, by checking all invoices in relation to coronavirus testing.
