Don’t be fooled by DEA scam
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Agents with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration have notified the Board of a scam that attempts to defraud medical professionals by convincing them they are being investigated for unlawful importation and distribution of Schedule II and Schedule III opioids. The idea is to get the target to lower their defenses by making them believe they have been contacted by a legitimate DEA operative and then get them to provide personal and financial information. DEA has recently seen this scam active in multiple states.
DEA reports that targeted medical professionals receive a faxed letter that appears to be from a Special Agent in the Washington, DC-based Diversion Control Division of the DEA. The letter is on Department of Justice letterhead and includes official sounding language advising the recipient not to destroy records and of their right to have legal counsel present during inspections or interviews. The letter includes two different phone numbers and invites the recipient to contact DEA with any questions.
No matter how authentic a letter looks, medical professionals should be skeptical of any “notice of investigation” or similar letters they receive. Under no circumstances should they visit websites or dial telephone numbers included in such communications. The Board recommends visiting http://www.dea.gov (or searching online for the official DEA website) to find contact information for the agency there to verify that the letter is fake.
The DEA scam is just the latest effort by criminals to defraud medical professionals by posing as an agent or official of a law enforcement or medical regulatory body. Exercise caution when reading or responding to any communication and never give personal or financial information to someone without first verifying their identity and affiliation.
If you provided your credit card number or other financial information to someone you believe may be a scammer, you should immediately notify the credit card issuer and report it as lost/stolen. In addition, you can put a temporary credit freeze on yourself with the three credit bureaus to prevent scammers from opening new accounts in your name. Be aware that you will be unable to obtain instant credit, obtain a loan or request a credit report until you notify the credit bureau to lift the freeze.
Experian
Equifax
TransUnion
I believe my identity may have been stolen
Find information on how to report identity theft at the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
DEA reports that targeted medical professionals receive a faxed letter that appears to be from a Special Agent in the Washington, DC-based Diversion Control Division of the DEA. The letter is on Department of Justice letterhead and includes official sounding language advising the recipient not to destroy records and of their right to have legal counsel present during inspections or interviews. The letter includes two different phone numbers and invites the recipient to contact DEA with any questions.
No matter how authentic a letter looks, medical professionals should be skeptical of any “notice of investigation” or similar letters they receive. Under no circumstances should they visit websites or dial telephone numbers included in such communications. The Board recommends visiting http://www.dea.gov (or searching online for the official DEA website) to find contact information for the agency there to verify that the letter is fake.
The DEA scam is just the latest effort by criminals to defraud medical professionals by posing as an agent or official of a law enforcement or medical regulatory body. Exercise caution when reading or responding to any communication and never give personal or financial information to someone without first verifying their identity and affiliation.
If you provided your credit card number or other financial information to someone you believe may be a scammer, you should immediately notify the credit card issuer and report it as lost/stolen. In addition, you can put a temporary credit freeze on yourself with the three credit bureaus to prevent scammers from opening new accounts in your name. Be aware that you will be unable to obtain instant credit, obtain a loan or request a credit report until you notify the credit bureau to lift the freeze.
Experian
Equifax
TransUnion
I believe my identity may have been stolen
Find information on how to report identity theft at the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
