Identity theft is an issue you have to worry about in your personal and professional life. It is up to you to ensure that your professional license does not end up in jeopardy due to someone else using it.
The Pennsylvania Department of State explains scammers will often try to contact you to get information about your license. They often pose as representatives from the State Board of Medicine and can be very convincing.
Contact methods
Scammers may contact you over the phone. They have technology that allows them to customize their caller ID information so it appears legitimate. They may also contact you by mail on official-looking letterheads.
It can be incredibly difficult to know if this is legitimate just by the initial evidence presented. However, you should know that the board never contacts you to request personal information, especially financial information. If a caller or letter does this, it is a sign of a scam.
Other signs
You can also watch out for people claiming to be from other organizations, especially law enforcement agencies. These are often scammers, especially if they make threats or request information from you about your finances or license.
Scammers will usually do anything to avoid giving you a contact name and phone number. Legitimate agency representatives or anyone from the medical board will have no problem providing you this information.
Legitimate agencies will use certified mail or other verifiable means by which to contact you about any issues with your license. If you are unsure about something, you can contact the board or local law enforcement to verify it is not a scam.
