The DOH recently alerted providers about a scam in which scam artists are calling clinics and offices posing as government officials.
The Washington State Department of Health recently released the following scam alert:
Our partners at the Washington Medical Commission (WMC) have alerted us that scam artists are calling clinics and offices posing as the Medical Board, saying there is a problem with a physician’s DEA registration. They are providing the WMC phone number as their own.
This appears to be part of a larger extortion scheme related to scammers posing as government officials. The Medical Board of California reported a similar scheme where scammers posing as DEA agents demanded payment in order to keep a licensee from being suspended.
This is not how state boards, commissions, or the DEA operate and all practitioners should be skeptical of anyone making such demands.
Please be aware that boards and commissions will never call you asking for your DEA number, private information, or looking for payment. If you receive a call and want to know if there is a legitimate issue with your credential, please contact us at
hsqa.csc@doh.wa.gov.