(Updated Aug. 1, 2023)
An active e-mail scam involves purchase orders and requests for quotations that appear to be from UC Merced but are actually fraudulent.
While the university cannot avoid this illegal activity, we actively collaborate with law enforcement to investigate fraudulent e-mail interactions.
Some common traits or themes that may help reduce the risk to your company in becoming a financial victim of this scam:
- Poorly written emails with mispellings and/or awkward sentence structure.
- Unauthentic UC Merced website links or email addresses.
- Requests of product shipment to non-UC Merced addresses.
In addition, messages may include:
- An attachment designed to look like a purchase order.
- A logo, graphic, or signature that may look legitimate.
Before responding to the e-mail or filling the order, you may verify its legitimacy by contacting UC Merced Procurement and Contracting Services:
- Email: suppliersupport@ucmerced.edu
We want to assure you that we are fully committed to assisting in the investigation of any illegal activity by promptly reporting all fraudulent emails to the relevant authorities.
Your trust and security are of utmost importance to us.