Boss asked employee to falsify invoices to make the department seem more profitable, so he created a hardware problem in his last 2 weeks: 'A week later, this old director started contacting me demanding I finish a project I had "committed to".'

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María Cetra • Writer
Aug 14, 2026 6:00 PM EDT

Why would a boss be so horrible that he asked his employee to commit fraud?

Committing fraud is a crime. I think we all know that, except a couple of bosses who seem to have forgotten. Workplaces can be hard due to several different things. Sometimes it's because of unimportant things such as leaving the communal kitchen dirty or speaking too loudly in the public areas. Or it can be due to something difficult, such as having a boss who mistreated you, or, like in the case of the story below, because your boss is persuading you to commit fraud for "the good of the department". As if they seem to have forgotten that it is a felony and most people wouldn't agree to do that ever.

Sometimes bosses forget that, after all, they are just people. They seem to believe that they are some kind of sacred entities who have the right to do and ask for whatever they want, no matter the circumstances. That kind of thought can be very dangerous in a work environment, as it can cause several problems between employees. They cannot be demanding things as if they were some kind of god. And no employee should be pressured to do something that is simply wrong. No matter who asks you to commit fraud, there is no reason for you to ever do it. And leaving as this person did is the best thing you can do for yourself and your career.

Having values is important, especially if you have a boss who thinks that they can ask for anything and that you will comply. You are a human being with a brain and rights. Do not comply with something you don't think is correct ever. And in the case of something complicated like fraud. Go to the correct authorities. Leaving is a good decision, but not the only way out of this situation. Is important that we are clear about what we know is right and what is wrong. We need to put our judgment over anything, even a boss. 

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  • 01
    I was a System Administrator at a company and the domain admin, meaning I could manage user profiles and startup scripts. One of the directors asked me to do something I absolutely wasn't comfortable with: alter invoices after they were generated so clients would be billed for work that wasn't actually performed. The extra money helped make his department look more profitable. He knew I was one of two people in the company with access to Photoshop, and assumed I was morally bent in his favor. I
    via _keyboard-bastard_
  • 02
    A hacker hacking into a system with their computer. Representation.
    via Jefferson Santos

    A hacker hacking into a system with their computer.

    Representation.

  • 03
    I refused. I told my boss, and when my boss did nothing, I put in my notice. A few weeks later, I was already in my final two weeks with the company, and he pushed again to alter a bunch of invoices this time claiming it was an approved thing from accounting. I refused again, but this time I also decided he could experience a small "IT mystery." I wrote a simple batch script that randomly rebooted a computer between 5-10 minutes after startup and added it to his profile's startup script through
    via _keyboard-bastard_
  • 04
    He knew I had access to everyone's machines, but he assumed it was a hardware issue because they were experiencing them for a full year across his department. After about five random reboots, he called me into his office to fix it. The director went to lunch and I sat down at his computer, stared at the screen, and began my extremely advanced troubleshooting process: I ate the Skittles from the jar on his desk for around five minutes.
    via _keyboard-bastard_
  • 05
    I told him I'd keep an eye on it. He never figured it out. The funniest part is that my own IT manager had no idea what startup scripts were, so a file named something boring like cmosupdates.bat was enough to fly under the radar. I left the company. A week later, this old director started contacting me demanding I finish a project I had "committed to", unpaid. It was something my replacement couldn't handle.
    via _keyboard-bastard_
  • 06
    I ignored the messages, blocked his number, and moved on.
    via _keyboard-bastard_
  • 07
    A green code for hacking.
    via Markus Spiske

    A green code for hacking. 

  • 08
    Cuneus-Maximus When they ask you to do work after you leave, that's when you bust out the "consulting rate" which is 3x what they were paying you before you left.
    via Cuneus-Maximus
  • 09
    Just Getting_By_1 Your boss wanted you to conspire to commit fraud, that is pretty bad. And he is very lucky you only went for small revenge.
    via Just Getting_By_1
  • 10
    noeljb Back int the day (think early 60s). We typed all the invoices / statements. Some old cogger owed us $18.00. We sent monthly statement for 4 months. Dad told the secretary to send him a statement for $180.00. Within 4 days he came in yelling he did not owe $180.00 he only owed $18.00 and paid it. Dad told him we must have misplaced the decimal point. But he paid.
    via noeljb
  • 11
    Open_Bug_4251 I would have contacted anyone they've billed and told them to check they weren't overbilled. Better yet do it from his computer.
    via Open_Bug_4251
  • 12
    Sweaty Marzipan4274 "I'll need a company memo from you directing me to break the law, approved by legal, so I can have my lawyer review it before braking the law on your behalf" is an email I've sent on a few occasions.
    via Sweaty Marzipan4274
  • 13
    ObedientKaza The first step in diagnosing something like this would be to look at the event manager. Seems a bit suss that an IT Manager wouldn't know how to figure this out.
    via ObedientKaza
  • 14
    Defiant-Strength-697 When you are asked to commit fraud, confirm everything via email. That way if there is ever a lawsuit, “discovery”. Will find a record of what you were asked, when, and that you refused or threw a monkey wrench in it.
    via Defiant-Strength-697
  • 15
    Organic-Mix-9422 I had a boss in local government in Australia who made up fake orders for works done on big vehicles. I knew the work wasnt done because I was the one who booked the service work on them. I was also the one who had to sign off on invoices for parts. I still dont know why he thought I would be stupid enough to sign off on 'walnut dash panels ' for a rubbish pick up vehicle. I refused to sign them so he had to. He was outfitting his boat and finally got caught, sacked and sued for
    via Organic-Mix-9422
  • 16
    RJack151 I would send a letter without your name to let the clients know what the company is trying to do.
    via RJack151
  • 17
    Interesting_Wing_461 My boss asked me to falsify something once and I told her that I was not getting fired because of her. I told her that she could do it. She did and was fired. I got her job.
    via Interesting_Wing_461

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fraud malfunction workplace Horrible Bosses resignation
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