They investigate a scam that was allegedly aimed at the University of Almeria, costing almost half a billion euros

The National Police Force is investigating a fraud attempt against the University of Almeria, (UAL), of nearly half a million Euros for a payment made through Public Sector Contracting Platform of Ministry of Finance and Public Function of Government of Spain.

The UAL issued a statement acknowledging that the Management filed a complaint 2021 over attempted fraud in the invoice of 477,000 Euros.

The statement states that "This university is not aware of the investigation involved in the proceedings. The UAL Management cannot comment on it. However, it anticipates that this university, through its employees, was able paralyzed the operation and recover full invoice.

According to university sources, it all began with the purchase of a number of computer equipment. They were supplied by a Madrid-based telecommunications company for 477,000 euros.

The UAL paid the invoice via the Public Sector Contracting Platform of Ministry of Finance. The company called to request payment a few days later. Both the supplier and university realized that something was wrong.

Through its computer services, the company was able detect its identity as being supplanted. The UAL alerted it, and the bank cancelled the payment.

The National Police was contacted by both the UAL and the company that was affected to report the incidents. La Voz de Almeria reports that the investigation has been taken over by the five-member Investigating Court of Almeria.

It is quite common. These days, there are many scams. It was done on time, and the University of Almeria didn't lose the money", they pointed out from the university entity.

After recovering the money, the UAL proceeded with the payment to the corresponding company.

It is important to note that the Public Sector Contracting Platform warns that, dated June 17, 2022 "for several weeks, the candidates and bidders have been receiving fraudulent email in which they impersonate, either the Identity of the Public Sector Contracting Platform(PLACSP) or the Head of Contracting Authority(ROC), so that the successful bider enters the definitive garantie into a current account, issues the corresponding invoice, and submits it to the ROC for review."

"Remember that the PLACSP only sends emails to economic operators from one of the following accounts: contrataciondelestado@hacienda.gob.es, licitacionE@hacienda.gob.es, licitacionEorganismos@hacienda.gob.es, soporteplacsp@hacienda.gob.es, mailcontrataciondelestado@hacienda.gob.es, subscriptions_contrataciondelestado@hacienda.gob.es. If you have received an email from a different email address, please send it as an attachment to licitacionE@hacienda.gob.es and do not carry out any of the actions indicated, "he concludes.