Fraud Scam Alert
The Respiratory Care Board (RCB) has learned of an attempted fraud scheme aimed at licensees of DCA’s boards and bureaus. In the scheme, scam artists identify themselves as DCA/board/bureau staff members or investigators and notify the licensee that they are under investigation, that their license may be suspended, or that an arrest warrant has been issued in the licensee’s name, and then they will demand money.
In some instances, scam artists identify themselves as other entities including local police, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The callers may be “spoofing” RCB's telephone numbers to make the calls appear to be coming from the RCB.
RCB staff members or investigators will never contact licensees demanding money or payment of any form or personalized information without conducting an official investigation or inquiry. If you receive such a call, please refuse the demand for payment.
Please also consider the following:
- NEVER disclose any personal information, i.e. social security numbers, date of births, or credit/debit card numbers.
- If you receive a call, contact the RCB directly at (916) 999-2190 to inquire if an official investigation is being conducted.
- Report the call to local law enforcement authorities.
- If you are contacted by a person purporting to work for DEA and seeking money, submit the information through “Extortion Scam Online Reporting” posted on the DEA Diversion Control Division’s website, www.DEADiversion.usdoj.gov.
- If the caller is stating they are from the FBI, report the scam using the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reporting form.
- If the phone number of the caller appears to be an RCB telephone number, report the scam using the Federal Communications Commission’s consumer complaint form: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/articles/115002234203-Unwanted-Calls-Phone-