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I never thought this would happen to me before.

I was recently hired for one day of training work. The job entailed a short amount of travel and eight hours of on-site, one-on-one CSS training. I priced the work out at X dollars, to which the client agreed. When the day came, I found myself working with an interested, attentive client, and the training proceeded smoothly and successfully. At the end of the day, the client asked if I could come back again, the next week. I told him I’d check with his boss.

When I spoke with the boss, I told him I was asked back by his employee, and I’d be happy to do so, but that I’d have to charge a little more, due to the short notice—my upcoming week was already booked up with work. He agreed to this price, which we’ll call Y, and which was roughly 25% more than X.

After the second day of training, which also proved successful, I submitted my invoice of X+Y to the boss. I didn’t hear anything for a couple weeks, and then an envelope came from the company. Inside was not a check, but a contract, detailing the nature of my work, and all the typical legal mumbo jumbo that they have all contractors sign. I hadn’t signed it before starting, and they needed it on the books before I got my money. No problem, except for one thing: the contract included a breakdown of my fees, and they were not what we agreed on. Instead, they were much higher. Instead of X dollars for day one and Y for day two, it showed X+Y for day one and Y again for day two. They (or their contract-writing secretary) wanted to pay me more than 50% more than what I billed.

Of course I’m tempted to sign it as is, send it back and see what happens. There are a few strongly mitigating factors: 1) I’ve already sent them an invoice for the proper amount; 2) if they catch their mistake and my subsequent exploitation of their mistake, it could come back to bite me in the ass; 3) it feels gloriously unethical.

What would you do?