Fraud Warning to Contractors.pdf
PDF 249 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 12905B24Q0218
About this file
This document is a fraud warning issued by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) regarding scams involving fake Requests for Quotations (RFQs) for electronic equipment. The fraudsters use spoofed email addresses that appear to be from senior DOI officials to solicit these fake RFQs. When a business responds, the scammer accepts the quote and provides a shipping address, promising payment within 30 days. However, when the business submits an invoice, it is either rejected or no response is provided, as the government agency has no record of the fraudulent procurement. The OIG warns companies to verify RFQs and shipping addresses with agency officials using publicly available contact information, and to carefully review email header information to confirm it is from a valid government domain.
The related federal contract opportunity is a solicitation issued by the Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service for evaporation pond maintenance/cleaning services at their facility in Maricopa, AZ. This is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside with a NAICS code of 562998 and a $16.5M size standard. Offers are due by August 15, 2024 at 5:00pm PDT and should be submitted via email. A site visit is scheduled for August 7, 2024 at 10:00am PDT, with a registration deadline of August 6, 2024 at 1:00pm PDT.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Information.docx | DOCX document | |
| Questions - Answers Adendum w-Photo.pdf | ||
| QUESTIONS - Responses.pdf | ||
| Attachment III - Contractor RFI FORM.pdf | ||
| Attachment IV - Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ).doc | DOC document | |
| 12905B24Q0218 with T-n-Cs and Attach I - II.pdf |
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Text version
The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has become aware of a scam involving disguised or “spoofed” email addresses. Individuals claiming to be senior DOI officials have used such addresses to solicit fraudulent Requests for Quotations (RFQs). These are fake. The fraudsters seek RFQs for electronic equipment (Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices) via “spoofed” email addresses. These “spoofed” emails appear to originate from government email domains, including doi.gov and its bureaus, but have non-government domain extensions such as “.us,” “.org,” “.net,” or “.com.” When a business responds to the fake RFQ, the scammer replies using an email address that is similar to a legitimate government email address but has a non-government email domain extension.
• Companies should verify RFQs and shipping addresses with agency officials by using publicly available contact information from reliable, official sources such as:
Contact Interior | U.S. Department of the Interior (www.doi.gov/contact-us#no-back).
• Companies should also carefully review email header information and confirm that it is from a valid government domain, such as www.doi.gov.
FRAUD WARNING
FAKE EMAILS &
FRAUDULENT
REQUESTS FOR
QUOTATIONS
The fraudster will accept the quote and the business is then provided with an address to which it can ship the devices. Payment is guaranteed within 30 calendar days of the goods having been received (“Net 30”).
When the business submits an invoice for payment to the supposed government agency, the invoice is either rejected or no response is provided because the government agency has no records of the fraudulent procurement.
The fraudulent RFQs also appear nearly identical to legitimate RFQs used by DOI, often including the names of real agency officials.
The shipping addresses vary but are typically commercial addresses accessible by the public, such as short-term storage companies.
The fraudulent RFQs have falsified contact information, including email addresses and phone numbers that send any correspondence back to the fraudsters instead of a legitimate government entity.
If you have information about fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or other crimes or violations of federal laws, rules, and regulations relating to Department programs and operations, please report it to the OIG Hotline. You can submit your complaint at www.doioig.gov
To avoid being victimized:
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