The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has become aware of a scam involving disguised or “spoofed” email addresses.
Individuals claiming to be senior DOI officials have used such addresses to solicit fraudulent Requests for Quotations (RFQs). These are fake. The fraudsters seek RFQs for electronic equipment (Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices) via “spoofed” email addresses.
These “spoofed” emails appear to originate from government email domains, including doi.gov and its bureaus, but have non-government domain extensions such as “.us,” “.org,” “.net,” or “.com.” When a business responds to the fake RFQ, the scammer replies using an email address that is similar to a legitimate government email address but has a non-government email domain extension.
To Avoid Being Victimized:
Companies should verify RFQs and shipping addresses with agency officials by using publicly available contact information from reliable, official sources such as: Contact Interior | U.S. Department of the Interior .
Companies should also carefully review email header information and confirm that it is from a valid government domain, such as www.doi.gov.
If you have information about fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or other crimes or violations of federal laws, rules, and regulations relating to Department programs and operations, please report it to the OIG Hotline. You can submit your complaint at www.doioig.gov
