When it comes to the use of purchasing cards, there’s the incorrect, there’s the inappropriate—and then there’s the insane. If you think you’ve heard and seen it, check out these very real purchases and expenses by P-Card holders!
Travel and Entertainment — an easy target for P-Card abuse
You might think that travel and entertainment expenses would have its share of abuse, as travel and entertainment expenses are often what P-Cards are designed to purchase — and you’d be right. The following examples show a variety of improper T&E purchases made with P-Cards:
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Hotel room stay for a spouse
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Hotel room stay after business had concluded
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Online entertainment
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Bills for personal cell phone service and the replacement of a personal cell phone
And a little more out of the usual for P-Card usage:
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Repairing tires on a personal trailer pulling personal items while traveling for a business trip
Weddings and gift cards and condoms… Oh my!
However, you will also find that many examples of P-Card misuse go beyond T and E expenses into the land of private, personal shopping. It’s amazing that anyone would ever think they could get away with the following purchases and not be caught. And yet, they still charged away for non-work-related items such as:
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Catering for a wedding reception
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Diamond ring
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Clothes
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] College tuition—for self and for family members
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Gift cards for stores such as Sam’s Club, Walmart, and Best Buy
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Car insurance, rental, and repairs
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”credit” wrap=”i”] Condoms and sexual aids
Wild, wacky… but oh, so real
Some purchases are wild, some are wacky… and they are all real. However, training and monitoring services from Card Integrity can help prevent such unexpected, unacceptable expenditures, and uncover the cardholders responsible for the P-Card usage. Call us at 630-501-1507 or click HERE to contact us via our website today!
