Fraud Alert: Medical Board Certification Offer Targets Physicians

AAFP members should be aware of a scam perpetrated through the mail involving the sale of bogus medical board certifications.

A family physician in Hudson, Fla., recently received an unsolicited letter offering him lifetime diplomate certification by the American Board of Geriatric Medicine. The letter included an "expedited application form" and requested a registration fee of $500.

The American Geriatrics Society posted a member alert on its Web site warning that the organization offering the certification is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, or ABMS.

Furthermore, several months ago, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal issued a press release cautioning physicians and consumers about the scam and announcing plans to investigate.

Blumenthal took the action after receiving a complaint from the American Board of Internal Medicine, which -- along with the American Board of Family Medicine -- does offer a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine. Similarly, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, in concurrence with the ABMS, offers a Certificate in the Subspecialty of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Blumenthal said at that time that at least 130 additional complaints had been reported, including one in his state.

According to the April 8 press release, the alleged scheme particularly targets foreign-born or foreign-taught doctors who may be unaware of the proper certification process for physicians in the United States. Legitimate medical board certifications generally require a significant amount of training and testing as well as a thorough medical background review.

Other purported board names associated with the scheme include the American Board of Geriatrics, the United States Medical Specialists Federation, the American Board of Diabetes, the American Academy of Cardiology, the American College of Christian Physicians and the American Academy of Oncology.

According to Blumenthal, none of these entities is a peer-recognized medical board.

Physicians who receive similar solicitation letters from any of these organizations should file a report with the attorney general's office in the state in which they practice.