Key Takeaways
- Counterfeit toner and toner scams are two different problems businesses should know how to recognize.
- Counterfeit cartridges may be falsely presented as genuine manufacturer products.
- Office-supply scammers may impersonate an existing supplier, send unordered products, or submit invoices for items a business never purchased.
- Businesses can reduce their risk by purchasing supplies from trusted sources and establishing clear purchasing procedures.
- Employees who order or approve office supplies should know how to verify unfamiliar vendors and invoices.
Printer toner may seem like a routine office purchase, but businesses should be careful about where their supplies come from.
Both counterfeit toner and toner scams can create problems for organizations. Counterfeit products may affect print quality or equipment performance, while office-supply scams can result in unexpected shipments, misleading invoices, or overpriced supplies.
Understanding the difference can help your employees recognize potential warning signs.
What Is Counterfeit Toner?
Counterfeit toner is a product made or packaged to appear as though it is a genuine manufacturer product when it isn’t.
Canon currently warns that counterfeit Canon toner and toner cartridges have been found in the United States and other countries. According to Canon, counterfeit toner may contribute to toner leakage, lower toner yield, inferior print quality, and poor equipment performance.
Counterfeit toner should not automatically be confused with every third-party toner cartridge.
A compatible or remanufactured cartridge that is accurately labeled and sold under its actual manufacturer or brand is different from a counterfeit product that falsely represents itself as genuine.
What Is a Toner Scam?
Another issue businesses may encounter is an office-supply scam, sometimes referred to as a “toner phoner” or toner scam.
The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against operations that falsely represented themselves as a business’s regular supplier or copier manufacturer. Some schemes involved businesses receiving toner or other office supplies they hadn’t ordered, followed by invoices demanding payment.
These scams aren’t necessarily selling counterfeit toner. The problem is the deceptive sales or billing practice.
Warning Signs of a Toner Scam
Employees responsible for purchasing office supplies should pay attention to unfamiliar or unexpected sales calls and invoices.
Potential warning signs can include:
- A caller claiming to be your existing supplier when you don’t recognize them
- Pressure to place an order immediately
- Requests to “verify” your copier model, address, or other information
- An unexpected invoice for supplies you don’t remember ordering
- Supplies arriving that no authorized employee ordered
- A seller that won’t clearly identify its business
- Pricing or fees that weren’t clearly disclosed before the shipment
The FTC specifically warns businesses about scammers who send phony invoices or call claiming they need to confirm an order, verify an address, or provide a supposedly free product.
How to Help Protect Your Business
1. Know Your Authorized Suppliers
Employees responsible for purchasing should know which vendors your organization currently uses.
If someone claims to represent your copier dealer or toner supplier, verify that independently before providing information or approving an order.
2. Establish Purchasing Procedures
Consider limiting supply purchases to designated employees or requiring approval before orders are placed.
Clear procedures can make it harder for an unfamiliar caller to convince an employee to authorize an unnecessary purchase.
3. Verify Unexpected Invoices
Don’t assume an invoice is legitimate simply because it includes your company name, equipment information, or an employee’s name.
Check your purchasing records and confirm that an authorized employee actually placed the order.
4. Be Careful with Unsolicited Calls
If a caller claims to represent your current supplier, you don’t have to rely on the phone number or contact information they provide.
Instead, contact your supplier directly using information your organization already has on file.
5. Purchase Toner from Trusted Sources
Purchasing genuine supplies from the manufacturer or an authorized dealer can reduce the risk of unknowingly purchasing counterfeit products.
For Canon products specifically, Canon recommends purchasing genuine ink and toner through Canon or an authorized Canon dealer.
Canon also uses anti-counterfeiting features on genuine toner packaging, including a security hologram.
What If You Receive Supplies You Didn’t Order?
If an unfamiliar package or invoice arrives, first check your organization’s purchasing records to confirm that nobody authorized the order.
The FTC advises businesses not to pay invoices for merchandise they didn’t order. It also states that unordered merchandise can be treated as a free gift.
If you believe your business has encountered a scam, document the communications, invoices, and shipments involved and consider reporting the incident to the appropriate authorities.
Make Toner Purchasing Easier
The easiest way to avoid confusion around toner orders is to know exactly where your supplies are coming from.
Depending on your Offix maintenance plan, toner and supply management may be incorporated into the way your print environment is managed. This can make it easier for employees to recognize an unexpected call, shipment, or invoice that didn’t come through the normal process.
Contact Offix today to learn more about toner, supplies, maintenance, and print management options for your office equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is all third-party toner counterfeit?
No. Counterfeit toner falsely represents itself as a genuine manufacturer product. Legitimately labeled compatible or remanufactured toner is not automatically counterfeit.
Can counterfeit toner damage a printer?
Canon states that counterfeit toner may cause toner leakage, poor equipment performance, low toner yield, and inferior print quality.
What is a toner scam?
A toner scam generally involves deceptive sales or billing practices involving printer or copier supplies. Scammers may impersonate an existing supplier, send unordered products, or issue invoices for products a business didn’t purchase.
How can businesses avoid toner scams?
Establish clear purchasing procedures, designate authorized buyers, verify unfamiliar vendors and invoices, and purchase supplies through trusted sources.