I got a very strange, random invoice from a company in Indianapolis called "LG." It read:

PROTECT YOUR CREDIT!

Your account is now seriously delinquent. Since you have not responded to any of our previous invoices, we assume that you have no dispute with the charges. As a result, we have added a $3 late fee to the previous amount due.

In order to avoid damage to your credit rating, send us $17.38 now. Detach the payment coupon and mail the full amount today in the envelope provided.

Signed,

David Brasco
Credit Manager

The reason that I hadn't paid the previous invoices is because I'd never heard of the company, and they were for the dubious service called "Introductory Offer," whatever that is. To my knowledge, I have never done business with a company called "LG" in Indianapolis. So my reply was as follows:

To whom it may concern,

I am not sure what you're billing me for. You have been sending me invoices for an obscurely named "Introductory Offer," whatever that is, for several months. And now you're claiming that I'm seriously delinquent in an account that I have no knowledge of.

Prior to explaining what you're billing me for, don't threaten my credit rating. Let me remind you that state law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for attaching fraudulent items to any individual's credit report.

Please provide a detailed explanation of your billing statement. If you do not provide a detailed explanation of your statement, I will presume that you are a bogus, fraudulent, fly-by-night operation and will contact the office of the state Attorney General.

Warmest regards!

However, that really got me to thinking. How profitable of a business would it be to buy a billing computer, rent a mailing list, and send out invoices from dubiously named companies based out of PO boxes in Indianapolis, for vague services? If you bill someone for an "Introductory Offer," and the "service" is to introduce their check to your bank account, is that legal? If the bill is for a small enough amount, especially if you're threatening someone's good credit rating, how many people would just cough up the 17 bucks or so rather than try to figure out what the bill is for?

Seems to me like it's a perfect scam. I wonder if I know someone with a billing computer...