Fraudsters are targeting medical professionals and threatening to have their licenses revoked

SALT LAKE CITY (Utah News Dispatch) – The caller may sound like an official with the Division of Professional Licensing. Your phone number may appear to be associated with the department. You can demonstrate knowledge of professional licensing topics and various professions. However, they may actually be scammers using fake names in search of personal information or money.

According to the department, professionals have reported “an alarming scam involving identity theft and intimidation tactics” in which they very credibly posed as officials from the Division of Professional Licensing and threatened victims with license revocation and criminal investigation.

According to a press release, the tactics are similar to those used by scammers posing as government officials. This can include calls, emails, text messages or social media messages, which may even contain the names of real colleagues.

According to the news release, one victim described receiving a call from someone identifying himself as a “senior investigator” for the department. The caller said, “The victim’s driver’s license has been temporarily suspended due to an FBI investigation related to illegal drug trafficking. The caller threatened the victim not to disclose details of the investigation and instructed the victim to visit a nearby UPS branch to receive further details by fax.”

But that caller was not a legitimate employee and there was no investigation.

The caller also insisted on keeping the victim on the phone throughout the entire conversation – a red flag that may indicate that the person on the other end of the phone is a scammer. Other fraudsters also threatened driver license suspensions and payment demands, claiming that this would help the victim avoid fines or the loss of their licenses.

The department warns that imminent threats are “a clear indication of fraud” because its officers typically communicate with professionals before taking disciplinary action.

The scammers targeted healthcare licensees, but there were also reports of similar communications with authentic-looking letters impersonating the department impacting other industries.

Licensees should not interact with callers or provide personal information. You may also verify the authenticity of any communication by contacting the Division of Professional Licensing at 801-530-6628 or [email protected].