Too Good to Be True? A $7,000 Bookkeeping “Opportunity”: Don’t Let Excitement Cost You Everything

1. The Email That Sparked Excitement

It came out of nowhere — It all started with an email that made my heart skip a beat.

“Hi, we’re looking for a professional bookkeeper for a 3-day consultation involving QuickBooks, for few hours a day.”

QuickBooks! You are speaking to my heart. My favorite word. My comfort zone.

I could already picture it: teaching a team how to manage their books, helping them understand reports, setting up accounts, bringing order out of chaos. I felt that familiar spark — the one every bookkeeper gets when numbers start lining up neatly in their mind.

The email said they needed someone to train their staff — from zero bookkeeping knowledge to fully running QuickBooks — in just three days.

“Ambitious,” I thought, smiling. But maybe possible with focus and good notes.

So I replied politely that I’d look into my schedule, and that I need more details, and that I will get back to them.

Then I went to bed, thinking nothing more of it.

$7,000 QuickBooks Consultation

2. The Morning Fire

The next morning, I opened my inbox — and there it was: a new email from them.

They had outlined every single thing they wanted covered in the consultation:

• QuickBooks setup

• Chart of accounts

• Payroll

• Invoicing

• Bank reconciliation

• Tax reporting

• Financial analysis

• And the list goes on and on.

  
  

All… in three days.

I laughed softly. “That’s like teaching someone to fly a plane by showing them where the buttons are.”

But my curiosity grew stronger — until I reached the bottom of the email.

Payment offered: $7,500.

That’s when my excitement paused.

It felt too good. Too fast. Too much.

3. When Something Feels Off — Pay Attention

As a business owner, there’s a moment when logic takes a backseat and excitement takes the wheel. That’s when mistakes happen.

Something didn’t sit right. No interview. No company website. No signature block with real contact details. Just a big promise and a rush to pay.

So I slowed down.

Before I ever take on a new client, I always follow a personal checklist — a

Bookkeeper’s Rule of Thumb:

✅ Trust your gut. If something feels off — it probably is.

✅ Ask questions. Get their company name, website, address, EIN, and proof of authority.

✅ Confirm who you’re talking to. Are they the owner or just pretending to be “staff”?

✅ Can I verify their business?

✅ Request a signed contract that clearly states expectations and deliverables.

✅ Tell them your lawyer will review it. (Scammers hate that part.)

So I did exactly that. I wrote back kindly but firmly:

“Before I can proceed, please send your company’s legal name, address, EIN, website, and a copy of the consultation agreement. My attorney will review it before I schedule any sessions.”

And just like that — silence.

No reply. No follow-up. No “QuickBooks consultation.”

The email trail went cold.

There’s a common scam circulating in the business world — and QuickBooks is often the bait.

4. What They Were Really After

This is where every small business owner should lean in.

There’s a common scam circulating in the business world — and QuickBooks is often the bait.

Here’s how it works:

1. They “hire” you for a big job and ask for an invoice.

2. They send a payment ahead of time that’s higher than your invoice — “by mistake.”

3. Then they ask you to refund the difference using another payment method.

4. A few days later, the original payment bounces or reverses, and your refund comes straight from your own pocket.

   
   

It’s clean. It’s fast. It’s heartbreaking.

And it’s happening more than you think.

5. The Lesson for Every Business Owner

The real lesson here isn’t about bookkeeping — it’s about discernment.

In business, not all good opportunities are good for you.

Before you sign, send, or celebrate — slow down. Do your homework. Research the company. Listen to your gut.

Because the moment you say, “I’ll just do this quickly,” is often the moment a scammer wins.

Real partnerships grow through trust, clarity, and consistency — not rushed emails and too-good-to-be-true payments.

6. The Takeaway

When it comes to money, urgency is the enemy of wisdom.

Don’t let excitement override your boundaries. Don’t skip verification. And don’t apologize for asking questions that protect your business.

It’s not paranoia — it’s professionalism.

📌 At Kuznetsov Bookkeeping, I help business owners stay alert, organized, and confident — so their books stay clean, their money safe, and their future clear.

 🌐 Visit: kuznetsovbookkeeping.com

Reflection Question:

 Have you ever been offered something that sounded too good to be true in your business — and what did you learn when you looked closer?