Extortion Scam Targets Clinicians in Several States
The Remark Medical Board of Ohio issued an alert this week warning physicians about an extortion scam that has resurfaced relating to suspension of medical licenses.
Several other states occupy posted identical warnings.
In accordance with the Ohio board’s press liberate, scammers who notify to be from the US Division of Justice call or fax prescribers, telling them they’re being investigated for drug trafficking and their license has been suspended. The calls may perhaps well presumably perhaps encompass requests that fines be paid over the phone.
The notifications may perhaps well presumably perhaps explore very legitimate, the board defined.
“Throughout 1 reported incident, the scammers called the doctor’s dwelling of job, faxed a false file to the doctor the utilization of the Remark Medical Board of Ohio’s tag and ancient spoofing technology, so it seemed they’re legitimately calling from the board’s dwelling of job,” the warning talked about.
The board reminds prescribers that its investigators below no conditions inquire for swish payments over the phone and below no conditions contact licensees by fax. Legitimate notices approach both by certified mail or by private provider when the board proposes to employ action equivalent to suspending or revoking a license.
The warning points out that files on all suspensions of medical board licenses and any fines would be chanced on at eLicense.ohio.gov. Furthermore, emails originating from real medical board employees stay in @med.ohio.gov.
The witness comprises files on the technique to document the scam and the technique to take a look at legit board communications.
Scammers Pose as DEA Agents
Several other states occupy reported identical scams.
The Virginia Division of Health Professions posted a witness final month warning that scammers are claiming to be from the Virginia Board of Pharmacy or the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The DEA also has warned of folks posing as DEA brokers inquiring for that cost of fines be made by wire transfer. Files on these scams would be chanced on, and reported, at this DEA web sites.
The Texas Medical Board and the Medical Board of California reported the scam earlier this twelve months. Both states warn that the criminals may perhaps well presumably perhaps conceal their cell phone number on caller ID by showing the DEA Registration Reinforce 800 number.
California’s alert adds that some occupy reported that the scammers may perhaps well presumably perhaps talk in an urgent and annoying tone and must present an “agreement for bond and protocols,” announcing the doctor must never describe the investigation to any third occasion and must conform to a bond price cost of $45,000.
The North Carolina Medical Board talked about it has recently heard from licensees who were urged they were below investigation and were threatened with disciplinary action until they made a cost all of a sudden. Some were urged that their license used to be expired and must now not be reinstated without rapid cost.
Services who did give out bank card files must voice their bank card company and place a non eternal freeze on their credit, the North Carolina board famed.
Marcia Frellick is a freelance journalist basically based utterly utterly in Chicago. She has previously written for the Chicago Tribune, Science Files, and Nurse.com, and used to be an editor at the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the St. Cloud (Minnesota) Times. Follow her on Twitter at @mfrellick .
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