The Daily Bulletin Archive

Procurement Services has been made aware of several attempts by disreputable companies to sell overpriced toner to the campus. The latest company to contact Buffalo State is Supply Services Inc.

Beware of calls about the following:

• Renewal of orders that have never been placed by your department
• Inquiries to validate your copier or printer model number
• Invoices for goods never shipped
• Unbelievable discounts or special deals

To protect your department:

• Never give your P-Card number over the phone or in e-mail unless you've initiated the contact.
• Never pay for toner products in advance.
• Do not give any information about your office equipment to unfamiliar suppliers.
• If someone calls you about the "renewal of a previous order," ask them for the original purchase order number.
• Do not authorize any shipment of supplies from a caller soliciting business over the phone.
• Do not ask a company to send you an invoice just to get them off the phone.
• Beware of any suspicious activity from callers using selling ploys that seem too good to be true.
• Be aware of phone numbers that are displayed on caller IDs as "blocked" numbers.

Red Flags:

• Anyone who calls you about toner products for your copier. Most departments are on a "cost-per-copy" program, which includes toner at no charge.
• Calls about toner prices going up and offers to place an order to get the old price.
• Calls asking for the model number of your printer or copier.
• Calls asking if you would take a toner order intended for another department that no longer needs the toner.

Please do not order any toner without going through Procurement Services. Please call Steve Olsen, assistant to the comptroller for procurement, at 878-4113 immediately should you encounter any such selling tactics by a supplier.