Fraudulent Activity

Be Aware of Fraudulent Purchasing Activity

Suppliers should be aware of fraudulent credit request and fraudulent purchase orders appearing to be submitted by The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The associated quotes will typically be in the form of email requests originating from individuals not listed on the UTSA Purchasing Department website or in the UTSA global directory. Immediately call Purchasing at 210-458-4060 if any suspicious purchasing activity is suspected.

Suspect Fraudulent Activity? What Should You Do?

If you suspect fraudulent activity, you should verify key information that may be invalid, such as email address, phone number, PO documents, delivery locations, etc. Contact Purchasing at 210-458-4060 or by email to verify any suspicious order or email. The following items are typically associated with purchase order fraud.

Fraudulent Email Addresses

Most universities, such as UTSA, use specific domain address ending only in “.edu.” UTSA specifically uses the domain @utsa.edu for most official email communication (e.g., purchasing@utsa.edu ).

Be especially aware of email sent from any of the following addresses, which are not associated to UTSA:

• quote@unitexas-edu.com
• Purchasing1@unitexas-edu.net
• accountspayable@utexas-edu.com

Fraudulent Phone Numbers

Most UTSA phone numbers typically use the following format: 210-458-xxxx. Question any unknown phone calls from university staff with non-210-458-xxxx numbers, such as 830-392-xxxx or 469-900-xxxx. UTSA does utilize some cellular carriers, and numbers may not use the 210-458-xxxx format, so be confident with whom you are speaking.

Fraudulent Purchase Orders

Fraudulent purchase orders (PO) look very convincing and may contain official university seals as watermarks on the document. UTSA PO numbers have two numbering formats shown below. Any UTSA PO not using one of the PO number formats below are more than likely fraudulent.

• PO00XXXXX
• UTSA1-0000XXXXXX

Question any PO having numbers similar to PO #UT-307-041-67 or any other PO not matching one of the two numbering formats above.

Fraudulent POs also have non-UTSA delivery addresses. UTSA POs rarely have delivery addresses outside the UTSA campuses listed at the following website. Do not deliver UTSA orders to apartments, mobile home parks, business complexes or residential addresses. 

Credit Applications

As an agency of the state of Texas, UTSA does not typically apply for credit. Report any submission of credit application to establish a line of credit to Purchasing at 210-458-4060.

Report Suspicious Activity

While the UTSA cannot prevent illegal activity like fraudulent POs, the Purchasing Department, local law enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are aware of fraudulent purchase activity. Report all fraud cases to the following authorities:

• The UTSA Police Department
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation
• The UTSA Purchasing Department

Complaints may be filed with the F.B.I. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) online.

Attempt Recovery of Shipped Goods

If your company has shipped goods based on a fraudulent PO appearing to be issued by UTSA or any other university, and are facing a financial loss, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately.

Additional Questions?

If after reviewing this advice, you are still unsure if the PO you received is fraudulent, or you would like to discuss in person, send an email to the Purchasing Department or call 210-458-4060.