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FRAUD ALERT: Fraudulent DOT Procurement Letter Makes Unauthorized Request For Contractor Financial Information
Recently, many contractors have received a faxed letter
that is part of a recurring identity theft scheme asking recipients to
provide bank account information on an “Authorization to Release Financial
Information†form. The letter is typically signed by someone claiming to be
a “Senior Procurement Officer†at DOT and appears on U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) letterhead containing a Washington, D.C. address, but
little other identifying information. Information on this recurring scam
and an example of these fraudulent letters can be seen here.
THIS IS A FRAUDULENT REQUEST–DO NOT RESPOND.
Any direct communication from DOT should always be accompanied with
detailed contact information. In addition, DOT procurement representatives
will only request financial information in reference to specific contracts
awarded. DOT does not request financial information from prospective
contractors wishing to submit a bid proposal or quote.
If you have questions about a DOT request regarding procurement, please
contact the Office of the Senior Procurement Executive at (202) 366–4263 or
the office of procurement for any of the individual DOT operating
administrations. If you would like to report a fraudulent request for
information to DOT, please contact the Office of Inspector General (OIG)
Hotline here,
or by calling (800) 424–9071. The OIG may also provide your information to
the U.S. Secret Service office in DC.
If you have already responded to such a request, please notify your
financial institution immediately and contact the OIG
Hotline. We also encourage you to contact your local law enforcement
agency and your regional
U.S. Secret Service office. Because these types of identity theft scams
are often conducted from outside the United States of America, it may be
extremely difficult to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.