This is a sample letter as a reference for you to work from. You
may cut, copy and paste the text into your own document, being sure to
customize where indicated.
(Dealer Company Letterhead)
(Date)
(Customer Address)
RE: 'Toner Phoners'
For years, telemarketers have preyed upon unsuspecting
consumers by selling office supplies, particularly photocopier toner,
over the telephone. In the typical "toner phoner" scam, the salesperson
contacts the potential customer, and will often speak to your
receptionist or an employee not necessarily familiar with your company's
purchasing policies. Many times, the salesperson will represent himself
or herself as an employee of (Dealer) in order to gain trust. The
salesperson might state that a sale or special promotion is about to
end, and if the employee would simply provide the make and serial number
of the copier(s), then your company can place an order for toner before
the sale or promotion expires. (Optional, if applicable: However,
because [Dealer] prefers to maintain good customer relations through
direct contact whenever possible, we do not typically sell supplies over
the telephone. The very fact that someone is attempting to sell your
company toner over the phone should be a tip that the call may not be
legitimate.) Particularly when the salesperson purports to be calling
from your normal toner supplier, it is easy to understand how an
unsuspecting employee might be inclined to oblige without realizing what
is truly happening. The salesperson might call again to confirm the
order and the proper shipping address. Sometime thereafter, a shipment
for toner will arrive with an invoice bearing a price for greater than
that which your company normally pays for toner when you buy it from
(Dealer).
The purpose of this letter is to make you and your employees
aware that "toner phoners" are out there, and they are constantly
devising new ways to obtain information about your copiers in order to
make a sale. Some of these salespeople will stop at nothing to close a
sale or obtain payment for a shipment, making threats and abusive
remarks to your employees. Obviously, (Dealer) would never engage in
such tactics in order to maintain your valuable business.
Because your satisfaction is our primary concern, we are
here to help. If a "toner phoner" ever contacts one of your employees,
please contact us right away. You should also contact Business
Technology Association at (800) 869-6688, for guidance and advice about
reporting any incidents. We are members of BTA, and closely adhere to
the organization's foundation of service and integrity to the industry.
It is important that you report these incidents to the proper
authorities right away so that these fraudulent telemarketers can be
stopped.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
(Dealer)
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