Identifying and Reporting Suspicious Communications

Staying Safe from Impersonation Attempts

At Gordon Food Service, we are committed to protecting our customers, employees, and partners from fraud and scams. Criminals may attempt to impersonate Gordon Food Service or other trusted organizations to gain access to your sensitive information or financial resources. This page provides information to help you identify and report suspicious communications.

Understanding the Risks

Scammers use a variety of tactics to trick individuals into providing personal information, making payments, or granting access to their systems. These attempts can take many forms, but they often share a common goal: to deceive you into taking an action that benefits the scammer.

Impersonators may try to create a sense of urgency or fear, pressuring you to act quickly without thinking. They may also try to build trust by pretending to be a legitimate representative of Gordon Food Service or another organization you recognize. They can seem trustworthy, professional, and legitimate.

Identifying Suspicious Communications

Not all communications appearing to come from Gordon Food Service, even if they have our logo or phone number on them, are legitimate. Here’s what to look out for:

Unexpected Requests: Be wary of unsolicited communications asking for personal information (like passwords, bank details, social security numbers), financial transactions, or access to your computer/systems. Legitimate organizations, including Gordon Food Service, will never request sensitive information through email or unsolicited phone calls.
Sense of Urgency: Scammers often try to pressure you into acting immediately, claiming an urgent problem or a limited-time offer. Take your time and don’t be rushed into making a decision.
Unusual/Unexpected Communication Methods: Be cautious if you receive a request through an unusual or unexpected channel. For example, if you normally communicate with Gordon Food Service through a specific portal or email address, be suspicious of a request coming from a different source.
Poor Grammar and Spelling: While not always a definitive sign, many scam communications contain noticeable errors in grammar and spelling. It is worth noting that as AI technologies advance, poor grammar and spelling will be less of a “tell tale” sign, but can still be something to keep an eye on.
Inconsistencies: Look for inconsistencies in the communication. Does the email address or phone number match official Gordon Food Service contact information? Is the tone or style of the communication different from what you expect?
Requests for Payment: Look for requests for payment in unusual forms, for example, a gift card or bitcoin.
Too Good to be True: If an offer appears too good to be true, it is probably a scam.

What To Do If You Suspect a Scam

Don’t Respond: Do not reply to the suspicious communication or click on any links. Avoid providing any information, especially personal or financial information.
Don’t Engage: Do not engage with the requestor. If you get a request that seems suspicious, contact the person or company through confirmed communication methods, such as a number on the official website.
Verify the Communication: If you are unsure whether a communication is legitimate, contact Gordon Food Service directly through a known, trusted channel. Do not use the contact information provided in the potentially suspicious communication. If you would like to verify if a communication you received is legitimate, fill out the form below
Report Suspicious Activity: Please report any suspected impersonation attempts to Gordon Food Service by filling out the form below. Provide a copy of the email, as well as additional relevant details, including the date, time, method of communication (if not email), and any specific context from the communication. You might also consider contacting your local law enforcement, as well as the Federal Trade Commission.

Fraudulent Domains Used So Far

gordonfoodsservices.com
gfs-vendors.com
gfsvendors-sharefiles.com
gordonsfoodsservices.com
halpems.com
gordonfoodservicesinc.com
gordonsfoodservices.com
gfsvendorportal.com
gfsvendorsportal.com

SAMPLE FRAUDULENT EMAILS FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES

From: GFS ACCOUNTS PAYABLE <account.payable@gordonfoodsservices.com>
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2024 4:57 PM
To: ██████████
Subject: Urgent: Verification of Remittance Information Required

Good day,

We recently sent an email to all vendors requesting verification of their banking information to ensure we have up-to-date records before processing payments. However, we have not received a response from you.

We sent a secure file containing your current banking details for verification, but there has been no reply. Could you please confirm whether you received the file for your remittance information? If not, let us know, and we will resend it immediately.

This matter is important and needs to be addressed urgently. Until we receive the completed form and updated information, we will not be able to process any payments. This measure is in place to safeguard our payment processes.

Please confirm receipt as soon as possible.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Larry Sanders

Accounts Payable Manager

account.payable@gordonfoodsservices.com – AP

From: GFS ACCOUNTS PAYABLE <vendoranalysis@gordonfoodsservices.com>
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2025 7:21 AM
To: ██████████
Subject: Unable To Process Payment

Good Morning,

This is another reminder that we are trying to process your payment, but it appears that your payment verification is incomplete. As a result, the payments are currently stuck in the system and cannot be released.

To avoid further delays, we kindly request that you complete the verification process immediately by uploading your banking information to the payment portal. This step is critical to ensuring a smooth and timely transaction.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and are happy to assist if you encounter any issues during the process. Please let us know once the verification is complete.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Mary Tait

Vendor Management

vendoranalysis@gordonfoodsservices.com – AP

If You Believe You’ve Been Scammed

If you believe you have provided information to a scammer or have been a victim of a scam, take the following steps:

Contact Your Company’s Security Team: Immediately contact your company’s security team so they can investigate the incident and take further action if necessary.
Contact Your Financial Institution: If you provided financial information, immediately contact your bank or credit card company to report the incident and take steps to protect your accounts.
Change Your Passwords: If you provided passwords or other login credentials, change them immediately for all affected accounts. If you use the same, or a similar, password for any other unrelated accounts, change them as well. Use a password manager along with strong, unique passwords for each account. Ensure multi-factor authentication is turned on for all sensitive accounts.
Monitor Your Accounts: Regularly monitor your bank accounts, credit card statements, and other accounts for any unauthorized activity.
Consider a Credit Freeze: You may want to consider placing a credit freeze on your credit report to prevent scammers from opening new accounts in your name. You can contact the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to request a freeze.
File a Report with the Authorities: Report the incident to the appropriate authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States (reportfraud.ftc.gov) or your local law enforcement agency.

Staying Informed

Gordon Food Service is committed to keeping our community informed about the latest scam tactics. We will periodically update this page with new information and resources. You can also learn more about common scams and how to protect yourself from the resources that are on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, or other government agencies.