If you receive a notice that the State Board of Pharmacy has placed your license under suspension, then it will get your attention. You will probably take it seriously. If someone calls you about this, you will likely be ready to do anything to get your pharmacist license reinstated.
The Pennsylvania Department of State warns that there is a current scam about license suspensions and other license issues that is leading to pharmacists losing money. It is essential that you understand the difference between a scam and a real contact from the State Board of Pharmacy so that you do not give out personal information to a scammer and to avoid the stress that comes along with thinking there is an issue with your license.
The scam
Individuals are making calls to pharmacists claiming to be from the board. They will provide you with some information that sounds legitimate. However, they will then tell you that you must give them your credit card information. You become an identity theft victim and will also lose money on this scam.
Avoiding the scam
The real board will never call you for payment over the phone. It also will not ask you for personal information since it already has that information in your file. The board also will not text you for information.
It is a good rule of thumb to ignore scam callers and hang up as soon as you realize they are not legitimate. You should never provide payment information over the phone. If you have any doubt, hang up and contact the board directly to check the validity of the call. If you know a scammer has contacted you, then you should alert your local police.
