The Iowa Board of Pharmacy is issuing a warning about scam attempts that have been reported to their offices. They say potential victims have received calls or letters from criminals who are posing as employees of the Pharmacy Board, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and threatening to prosecute for supposed violations of federal drug laws or involvement in drug-trafficking activities. Scammers are also claiming to be state inspectors or agents and are demanding payments for supposed fines and violations directly over the phone. Non-compliance threats have varied from disciplinary measures to legal action and arrest. The scammers use techniques to appear legitimate, including spoofing phone numbers, obtaining personal information of the licensee and calls have sometimes been followed by written letters demanding payment for the nonexistent investigations. The Iowa Pharmacy Board stresses the fact that communications with any state inspector or investigator will NOT include immediate payment of fines over the phone. Licensees are notified of legal action in person or by official letter. Anyone receiving such a call or letter should refuse the demand and report the threat online or by calling. Details for both are included below.
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To report scam attempts:
Phone: 515-281-6674
Online: https://stateofiowa.seamlessdocs.com/f/IBPEcontact_us