We were recently made aware of an elaborate fraud scheme targeting physicians by one of our members who unfortunately became a victim. These criminals threaten you with immediate legal action for failure to appear and contempt of court in violation of a subpoena. They are able to spoof legitimate law enforcement numbers and are able to provide you with your personal information/addresses and other details, which they have harvested from various online sources. If the call is disconnected, they will call you back immediately and can be very convincing.
We have all had our personal and financial information compromised/stolen by cyber attacks targeting financial institutions, insurance companies, healthcare systems, and our various employers. In this digital age, It is unfortunately easier than ever for fraudsters to gain your confidence and impersonate legitimate authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Please be aware of this latest scheme and be careful to protect yourselves by following these recommendations from the FBI:
- Law enforcement authorities or government officials will never contact members of the public or medical practitioners by telephone to demand any form of payment, or to request personal or sensitive information. Any legitimate investigation or legal action will be done in person or by official letter.
- Always ask for credentials to validate identity.
- NO legitimate law enforcement or government official will request payment via prepaid cards or cryptocurrency ATM.
- Never give personally identifying information (PII) to anyone without verifying the person is who they say they are.
Below is the link to an FBI article concerning this scam.
https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/baltimore/news/press-releases/fbi-warns-individuals-employed-in-the-healthcare-industry-of-the-ongoing-scam-involving-the-impersonation-of-law-enforcement-and-government-officials/layout_view
Thank you all and please stay safe!