The NABP continues to be made aware of health care licensees receiving scam phone calls from individuals impersonating agents of state licensing boards. As a reminder, licensees should be cautious of giving confidential or payment information over the phone without verifying the source is legitimate.
Scammers are calling licensees claiming that they are state board inspectors or investigators and that their facility or individual license is under investigation. Scammers may also claim that they are working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on a case, and further claim that the licensee is under investigation for suspicious activity or drug trafficking. In either case, the scammers claim that the licensee will face disciplinary action, a revoked license, or arrest if they do not immediately pay a fine over the phone. Additionally, many scammers are “spoofing” the phone number used to call the licensee.
Spoofing involves disguising the caller’s true phone number and making it appear that the phone number is from a legitimate source. Scammers may even give a fake name and a fraudulent inspector identification number as “proof” of identity. If the call sounds suspicious, hang up and call DOPL Investigations using the phone number on the DOPL’s website (www.dopl.utah.gov).
Most recently, NABP was informed of an instance in which an individual licensed by a board of psychology was called by a scammer purporting to work for the board and using a phone number spoofed to appear as the board’s number. The scammer claimed the licensee was suspended from the practice of psychology for drug trafficking. The scammer also faxed the licensee a fraudulent notice that appeared to be issued by the board. The notice listed the scammer’s alleged name as the “Officer in Charge” and included the actual signature of the board’s executive director, likely pulled from disciplinary documents on the board’s website. The licensee reported this incident to the state board of psychology.
If a licensee receives a scam call from someone impersonating a DOPL Pharmacy Investigator, immediately report it to the phone number on the website listed above. In addition, the licensee should also report scam calls to the Federal Communication Commission’s consumer complaint program at (www.consumercomplaints.fcc.gov) and to local law enforcement officials. Please provide as many details about the scam call as possible.
Sincerely, David P Furlong Chief Investigator Bureau of Investigation Occupational & Professional Licensing Department of Commerce
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