One Hampshire firm said the Edinburgh-based company had been chasing payment of 345 for a poor-quality photocopied report, Reinventing Quality Management.

Berger telephoned the firm and offered the report to a member of staff, but when the firm did not return the report, for which it had not signed a purchase order, it received the invoice.

ICSM debt recovery manager Andy Allies said he had been contacted by several firms complaining about similar tactics.

Berger & Company accounts manager Kevin Grant said firms failing to return the report within three weeks were liable for its full price.