Fraud Attempts Targeting University Suppliers
LSU Procurement Services has recently become aware of fraudulent email activity that is targeting suppliers in the United States. We want to alert you of this activity that involves requests for quotations, establishment of credit, or submission of a purchase order which purports to originate from the University, but is in fact fraudulent. The requests have been for large quantities of highly resalable items such as electronics, hard drives, memory, toner cartridges, scientific items, etc. The shipping address has always been a non-LSU address, oftentimes identified as a “research” address.
Departments
If you receive any communications from a supplier regarding a potential fraudulent purchase order, please have the supplier email [email protected] with the following information:
- Supplier name & contact information
- Copy of Purchase Order, if available
- Any other pertinent information (i.e. subsequent emails, documents, etc.)
Suppliers
If you receive requests for quotes, requests to establish a credit line, or purchase orders and you are uncertain if the order is from LSU Procurement Services, do not place the order. Please contact us as soon as possible.
The current fraud attack is for laptops ordered by Brianna Langlois or Stephen Walczak.
The suspect has an email address showing [email protected] <[email protected]> and/or [email protected] <[email protected]> and a phone number 225-578-2176. Suppliers are being asked to use a FedEx account number to ship items to LSU then
are contacted with another address when items are reportedly unreceived. If you are
a victim to these scams please forward all email communication via attachment to [email protected].
The University is actively working with law enforcement to investigate this fraudulent
activity and to report all fraudulent procurement transactions issued in the University’s
name as we become aware of them.
We highly encourage suppliers who are victims of these scams to go to the FBI website
at www.ic3.gov to report the scam online.
Please feel free to contact LSU Procurement Services at [email protected] or 225-578-2176 with any questions.
Rev 11/14/2023