PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAMS

Phone scams are again being reported by CAMFT members. In some scams, the caller pretends to be a DEA officer or police officer reporting that the therapist has been tied to illegal activity at the border or elsewhere and needs to pay a fine. Other scams have been reported in which the caller pretends to be the BBS and asks the member to wire money for licensing or renewal fees. Scams in which callers purport to be police officers alerting the therapist that they supposedly missed a subpoena and court date and need to pay an immediate fine are also still happening.

Often, these callers bolster their credibility by stating the therapist’s name, license number and address. It is important to remember that, as a licensed or associate therapist, your name, license number, and P.O. Box or other registered address are all publicly available via the BreEZe website. This information is made public for consumer protection. If a caller reports that you are “in trouble” for some reason, the call is not necessarily legitimate even if the caller has your identifying information. And remember, the BBS will not contact you by phone to pay for renewal fees or fines. CAMFT regularly notifies the BBS of BBS-related scams directed at our members.

If you are suspicious that a call is fraudulent or a scam, do not send money or give any private information (SSN or credit card information) without first obtaining legal consultation. If you are uncertain, you can ask the caller for their identification information and/or their direct phone number, hang up and seek legal consultation. You can always call your local police department or the BBS directly to verify whether you are actually under investigation. Do not send money without first obtaining legal consultation. Additionally, scams can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) via the web at FTC complaint assistant or by phone at (877) 382-4357 (9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, ET).

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