Be On the Lookout for These DEA Scams Targeting Clinicians
We have seen a resurgence of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-related phone scams. Callers use fake names and badge numbers but may also use the names of well-known DEA officials. Sometimes, scammers will spoof legitimate DEA phone numbers.
DEA personnel will never contact members of the public or medical practitioners by telephone to demand money or any other form of payment, will never request personal or sensitive information over the phone and will only notify people of a legitimate investigation or legal action in person or by official letter.
Scammers may use these tactics:
- Using an urgent and aggressive tone, refusing to speak to or leave a message with anyone other than their targeted victim
- Threatening arrest, prosecution, imprisonment or revocation of a pharmacist or clinician's DEA registration
- Demanding thousands of dollars via wire transfer or in the form of untraceable gift card numbers
- Asking for personal information such as Social Security number or date of birth
- Referencing National Provider Identifier numbers or state license numbers
- Claiming that patients are making accusations against that practitioner
If you encounter these scams (or have any doubts about a call):
- Do not provide any information to the caller. End the call.
- If you think the call was legitimate, verify it by hanging up and then calling a legitimate DEA phone number found at dea.gov.
- Report the suspected scam to:
- The FBI at ic3.gov.
- Carilion's Information Risk Management team at Information_Risk_Management@carilionclinic.org.
Scammers are targeting health care workers by pretending to be from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Real DEA agents will never request payments or personal information over the phone.
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and report it to the FBI and our Information Risk Management team.
