An active e-mail scam involves purchase orders and requests for quotes that purport to originate from UC Merced but are in fact fraudulent.
While the university cannot prevent this illegal activity, we work actively with law enforcement to investigate fraudulent e-mail contacts.
Here are some common traits or themes that may help reduce risk to your company in becoming a financial victim of this scam:
- The e-mail message is poorly written, with misspellings and awkward sentence structure.
- The sender's e-mail address or website link are not authentic to UC Merced.
- The message requests shipment of products to non-UC Merced addresses.
The message may include an attachment designed to look like a purchase order. It may include a logo, graphic or signature that may look legitimate. But some of the factors described above can help identify it as a fraudulent message.
Before responding to the e-mail or filling the order, you may verify its legitimacy by contacting UC Merced Procurement and Contracting Services by at suppliersupport@ucmerced.edu.
UC Merced values our partnership with you and appreciates the important role you play in providing goods and services to our faculty, students and staff in support of their academic, research and public service endeavors. Please know we are assisting to the fullest extent we are able with the investigation of this illegal activity by reporting all fraudulent e-mails to appropriate authorities.
