Loss, Theft, and Fraud

Tips For Safeguarding Your Procurement Card

The best way to avoid fraudulent activity is to actively safeguard your Procurement Card and consider the ways that modern criminals will try to capture your information:

• Don't carry your Procurement Card with you on a regular basis. Card loss most easily occurs when a purse or wallet is misplaced. Though a lost card can be shut down and replaced quickly, there's still a significant amount of time that the Cardholder will be unable to use their card. Only carry your Procurement Card with you when you are planning on using it that day; at all other times, keep it in a secure location in your Department.
• Redact your Procurement Card number. If your reconciliation documentation includes a copy of an order form or receipt that contains your full Procurement Card number, redact that information before submitting your documentation for review.
• Shred unnecessary documentation. Don't throw documentation containing Procurement Card numbers (such as an order form or receipt) in the trash or recycling.
• Don't sign blank receipts. Some receipts have room to add a gratuity or tip; leaving those lines blank when signing the receipt allows the possibility of an unintended amount being added to your charge. Enter a Zero or draw an arrow through these portions of the receipt before signing.
• NEVER provide your Procurement Card number to a vendor via email. Email is not a secure method of transmitting card information.
• Monitor the Staging Table regularly. Keeping up with your Procurement Card transactions on a regular basis helps you discover any fraudulent activity quickly, and prevent further charges from being made on a compromised card.
• Be cautious. If any part of a transaction feels odd, or you notice anything suspicious during your communication with a vendor, hesitate before using your card.