Recently, some University of Nebraska-Lincoln departmental units have received fraudulent telecom maintenance "invoices" via the U.S. Mail from UST Telecom that in reality, are solicitations for business. UST Telecom has been widely reported nationwide as an operation that targets governmental and educational institutions with this type of scam. UST Telecom is NOT an authorized vendor for the University of Nebraska. Do NOT pay this "invoice".
Information Services advises fiscal staff to be aware of this type of fraudulent activity:
Watch for solicitations disguised as bills. Fake invoices are sometimes marked with the notice “This is not a bill.”
Review all bills and invoices carefully. Be especially wary of any from companies that you are unfamiliar with.
Know the vendors you use regularly, and keep a list.
Make sure you have effective internal controls in place for the payment of invoices.
Verify all invoices with the person who authorized the purchase.
The Nebraska Consumer Protection Agency has been notified of this scam.
If you have any questions regarding billing for telecom services, please contact Information Services Telecom Accounting at 2-2002