An elaborate scam in which callers claim to be from a tertiary education facility looking to purchase products from legitimate businesses has drawn a warning from the NSW Police Force Financial Crimes Squad.
Commander of the squad, Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett said the scammers used the identity of universities’ procurement services and provided instructions to deliver products, which have included laptops and defibrillators, to a warehouse.
“The business provides payment details to receive an electronic transfer and the goods are delivered; however, the money is never paid and is not able to be recovered,” Detective Superintendent Howlett said.
She said detectives from the Financial Crimes Squad had begun an investigation and businesses should be wary of unsolicited emails and check the sender’s details closely.
“We urge businesses to make independent inquiries with the university procurement section to check the legitimacy of the transaction,” DS Howlett said.
“When making further inquiries, go directly to the university website and seek legitimate contact details rather than using the numbers listed in the email.”
She said one company had lost half a million dollars and she estimated the scam had netted at least $1.5 million from legitimate businesses.
The officer urged people who thought they might have been victims of a scam to report it to local police or the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch website.
