Originally Posted by
TravellingSalesman
Step 5: Get found out and find yourself at the wrong end of a fraud charge involving the US Army.
Hence my alternative step 4 to send the Client a cheque.
Easily dealt with:
Dear US Army,
Due to an administrative oversight the fare quoted on our invoice number XXXXXX dated AA-BB-20CC and settled by you on DD-EE-20CC was incorrerct.
Our delegate to your conference had on his own initiative cancelled the original flights without penalty and made alternative travel arrangements. The final fare paid was USD YYYY.YY, a difference of USD ZZZZ.ZZ to that quoted on our invoice.
Accordingly I am enclosing a cheque for USD ZZZZ.ZZ made payable to US Army.
Yours sincerely, etc...
It is a bit like being told that you need a white shirt to do your job and for no really good reason that you must buy a polyester shirt for GBP 20. You buy the shirt, submit the expense receipt and the next day take the polyester shirt back, buying a GBP 15 cotton shirt instead. Once you have the GBP 20 reimbursed say you found a cheaper shirt available so you took the original back and got a refund. Pay your employer GBP 5 and all is settled and you have a better shirt than you would otherwise have. No fraud has been committed as far as I can see.