CARRIERS WARNED OF NEW ROUND OF FRAUDULENT LETTERS
Business owners are being warned of another new round of fraudulent US DOT letters that are starting to circulate among motor carriers. Faxed letters appearing on U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) letterhead are adeptly hidden as an identity theft maneuver, asking for "authorization to release financial information." The DOT would never ask this type of question or send this sort of fax.
The letters appear to be from the "U.S. Department of Transportation Procurement Office" and signed by a fictitious name of "Julie P. Weynel - Senior Procurement Officer". Letters like this have surfaced many times over the past five years.
Following is a list of fraudulent letters which have been faxed out to current or potential contractors:
- December 29, 2005, signed by "Frank M. Orell"
- February 8, 2006, signed by "Randy Cohen"
- April 27, 2006, signed by "Dan Jacobs"
- July 28, 2006, signed by "Dan Jacobs"
- November 8, 2006, signed by "Lisa Johnson"
- February 26, 2007, signed by "Lisa Johnson"
- March 26, 2007, signed by "Jason Scarlett"
- May 10, 2007, signed by "Jason Scarlett"
- July 11, 12, and 20, 2007, signed by "George Mason"
- August 27 and 28, 2007, signed by "Julie P. Wenzel"
- September 10, 2007, signed by "Julie P. Wenzel"
- October 12, 2007, signed by "Julie P. Wenzel"
- October 21, 2007, signed by "Julie P. Wenzel"
- January 28, 2008, signed by "Julie P. Weynel"
- February 7, March 3, March 31, 2008, signed by "Bradley K. Wash"
- April 1, 2008, signed by "Bradley K. Wash"
- April 28, 2008, signed by "Bradley K. Wash"
- June 3, 2008, signed by "Robert Dal"
- June 4, 2008, signed by "James Buchanan"
- September 5, 2008, signed by "David Jacobson"
- October 20, 2008, signed by "Jennifer Donaldson"
- December 8, 2008, signed by "Jennifer Stewart"
- December 19, 2008, signed by "Jeffrey Steinberg"
- January 27, 2009, signed by "John Steinberg"
- February 17, 2009, signed by "Joshua Greenberg"
- April 1, 2009, signed by "Jason Wallace"
- April 20, 2010, signed by "Julie P. Wenzel"
All letters were signed as the Senior Procurement Officer.
Please DO NOT complete the release form which is attached to the letter and DO NOT release any information to the facsimile number cited in the letter.
If you received a scam fax of this nature, report it to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division by submitting a complaint online at or call (800) 382-5516. You can also contact the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General Hotline at (800) 424-9071.