Local businesses are being targeted in a wide scale identity theft scam. It involves faxes claiming to be from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

D.O.T. regulates all modes of transportation - from the big rigs on the road to the airlines in the sky. Like the D.O.T. all federal agencies rely on contracts with various businesses to get the job done.

Harder Consulting, of Austin, is one such business qualified to work with government agencies.

"Now we're registered with state, local and federal governments and we get information about doing business with these governmental entities," said Liz Harder, owner.

Which is why it was not a surprise for Harder to receive a fax recently claiming to be from the U.S. D.O.T. It asks that financial information be provided in order to be eligible to enter contracts with the federal agency.

The timing of the fax proved to be perfect.

"I happen to be coincidentally working... we were working on a proposal for a governmental entity that requested financial information as part of the proposal," Harder said.

However, upon closer examination, Harder became suspicious.

"The logo wasn't right. It was addressed to our affiliation name and it wasn't signed. It had no phone number either," she said.

Now the D.O.T. website has a warning about the fraudulent letters. It's the latest version of identity theft, but rather than individuals, this one targets companies.

"Quite honestly these people can find small businesses that are vulnerable and willing to show this information and they can certainly make a lot more money than going than targeting individuals," Harder said.