Home » Santa Clarita News » Business » U.S. Department Of Transportation Warns About Long-Running Fax Scam

U.S. Department Of Transportation Warns About Long-Running Fax Scam

KHTS AM-1220 was made aware last week of a scam letter that claims to be from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The latest iteration of a fraudulent letter, claiming to be from the United States Department of Transportation, has appeared in Santa Clarita.


Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox.


U.S. Department of TransportationKHTS AM-1220 received a letter by fax from the “Procurement Office” of the U.S. DOT. The letter requested sensitive financial information, including Employer Identification Number, bank name and contact information and bank account number.

Included in the fax was a form to fill in the requested information.

“Our records show that you are currently registered as a prospective contractor for procurements issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation,” the letter reads. “However after reviewing your record we have noticed that you have not submitted your financial information release form.”

This scam was first reported in 2005, according to the DOT website, and since then, multiple versions of the letter have been distributed, typically signed by a “Senior Procurement Officer.”

The letter received by KHTS was signed by “Ralph Schmidt.” Other recent letters reported by the DOT were signed by “Louis James” or “Julie Weynel.”

The current Senior Procurement Executive at the DOT is Willie H. Smith.

The DOT does not require businesses to submit financial information to be eligible for procurement, according to their website.

“The DOT Office of the Inspector General is being kept informed of these incidents and is working to halt them,” said the DOT in a statement. “We’re also working to keep the public informed with notices on both the Office of the Senior Procurement Executive and Office of the Inspector General websites. We will remain vigilant on this matter in order to keep our current and potential suppliers less vulnerable to these fraudulent activities.”

If you or your business has received one of these letters, do not the respond to the fax number printed on the letter. Instead, contact the DOT Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-424-9071.

Those who have already responded to the scam should notify their bank, contact the Inspector General and report the incident to SCV Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121. They can also contact the regional U.S. Secret Service Office in Los Angeles at 213-894-4830.

For more information about the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Procurement Office scam, click here.

A letter similar to the one sent to KHTS


Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.


[node:title]


Article: [node:title]
Source: Santa Clarita News
Author: [node:author]


U.S. Department Of Transportation Warns About Long-Running Fax Scam

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220

As Santa Clarita’s only local radio station, KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, along with your favorite adult contemporary hits by artists such as Rob Thomas, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Maroon 5. We are vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community. Our broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. We stream our talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience.