Can you Afford a $300 Email?

by Kim Magee - October 19, 2020

When Arkansas PTAC client Chad Linn received an email from the Federal Service Desk, he really did not pay much attention and responded as requested. The CFO of Platinum Roofing, LLC was subsequently charged $300 for a System for Award Management (SAM) renewal.

After giving it some more thought, Linn felt something was not quite right. He checked into the situation further, and eventually stopped payment on the $300. It was only after contacting the Attorney General’s office that he was able to get a refund issued.

The Federal Service Desk (FSD) mentioned above is a legitimate service. However, there are also imposter companies posing as the Federal Service Desk. They do a great job of imitating them when sending their emails and disguising them to look official.

Be aware when receiving emails with the topics mentioned below:

• Your SAM registration is expiring
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Profile for Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS)
• Contact a contracting specialist to get renewed and registered with FEMA

The list above is not an exhaustive list but rather some of the more common ones to watch for in your email inbox.

What to be on the lookout for:

• Emails that do NOT end in .gov or .mil

Some of the imposter companies go as far as to put the “gov” somewhere in the email address - just not at the end as legitimate emails do.
To resolve any uncertainty you may have, contact the Federal Service Desk.

Federal Service Desk Contact Information

Website

Hours of Operation: 8am - 8pm (Eastern Time)
U.S. Toll Free: 866-606-8220

Please read your emails carefully. If you have any doubt about an email you receive, you can also feel free to forward the email to your counselor at the Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). They will be happy to look over the email and help you assess its legitimacy. If you do not yet have an assigned PTAC counselor, call 501-671-2390.