Fraud Alert

University employees should be aware that someone has been calling people on campus and fraudulently identifying himself as an IKON representative, in order to make phony sales and obtain credit card numbers.

According to Lynne Rizzi, assistant director of purchasing, the caller is using the name of an actual IKON employee, and leaving a call-back number that is similar to IKON's toll-free line. “He says that there has been an increase in the cost of toner and that the maintenance contract price is also going up. But, if you order today, he'll hold the price and save you nearly a hundred dollars on each cartridge,” Rizzi said.

In reality, all of the university's maintenance contracts include all supplies [except paper]. If you should get a call like this, please refer the caller to the Purchasing Department.

For future reference, please:

• Do not provide confidential information about the makes and models of your office equipment to unknown callers.



• Be wary of anyone who calls claiming to be from any of our office supply companies and offers you a "last chance" to buy copier paper, toner or other supplies at the current price before it increases. It could be a "paper pirate" or "toner phoner" working for a company that has no connection with our regular supplier.



• Ask for the person's name, the company name, and a phone number. Then contact the Purchasing Department and relay the information.



• Even if no one places an order, you might receive a bogus invoice for supplies that were sent anyway or that were never delivered at all.



• Designate specific people in your department to handle office supply purchases. They should know who our regular suppliers are and control the ordering process. If in doubt, please call Purchasing.



• If the supplier misrepresented itself or the goods, write the company a letter explaining why you are disputing the bill. Offer to send the supplies back if you received them, at the supplier's expense. Keep a copy of the letter for documentation.



• Don't be pressured into paying. Fraudulent companies often use threats of collection or legal action to get payment.

If you have any questions, please call Lynne Rizzi, assistant director of purchasing, at 768.4009.