SCAM ALERT
10/13/2020The WV BOP is receiving an increased number of reports of calls alerting us to threats of legal action if outrageous fines are not paid over the phone. The callers identify themselves as either Board of Pharmacy or DEA employees working an investigation and state that the "fine" must be paid over the phone via wire transfer or face arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, and license revocation.
Tactics utilized in the scam include:
- Callers use fake names and badge numbers or names of well-known senior officials.
- The tone of calls is urgent and aggressive; callers refuse to speak or leave a message with anyone other than the person for whom they are calling.
- Callers threaten arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, and license revocation.
- Callers demand thousands of dollars via wire transfer or in the form of untraceable gift cards.
- Callers falsify the number on caller ID to appear as a legitimate phone number, like the BOP office number.
- Callers often ask for personal information, such as social security number or date of birth.
- When calling a medical practitioner, callers often reference National Provider Identifier numbers and/or state license numbers and threaten revocation of their license.
BOP and DEA employees will not contact a health care provider, registrant, or member of the public demanding money or payment!
If you believe that you receive a scam call like the ones described above, you are asked to report the threat on the WV Board of Pharmacy's online complaint form and the DEA’s online form. Reporting these scams will help to investigate and stop this criminal activity.
Thank you and please let us know if you have any additional questions!