Throughout the year and especially at the beginning of each semester,
departments begin to receive telephone calls regarding office supply
purchases, mainly toner cartridges. These telephone calls may start
out innocently enough. The caller sometimes calls one department
asking for information regarding another department. After getting
a name or two, he/she will then call the department asking for a
specific person. Or he/she may call and just ask what kind of
printers or copiers you may have and who services them. They usually
hang up and call back later stating that they are representing the
company you have previously said services your equipment. Sometimes
the second caller states that they are representing the company and a
third person from the company will be calling for the information they
need. By this time, you have the false impression that he/she is
truly representing the legitimate company.
We actually had a department order toner cartridges, over the
telephone, at a cost four (4) times the normal price. The companies
that supply our equipment already know what type of equipment we have
and they would not be surveying individual departments for this
information.
If you do receive this type of telephone call, tell them you
do not give this information over the telephone and suggest they call
Purchasing at 673-3438. They usually hang up and never call
Purchasing. Please alert any new employees or students working for
you. They are usually the most vulnerable and innocently give out
this type of information.
