• HHS warns of spoofing scam involving its fraud hotline

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) is warning that its fraud hotline telephone number is itself being used as part of a telephone spoofing scam. These scammers represent themselves as HHS OIG employees, even tricking caller ID to make it seem as if the call is coming from the HHS OIG Hotline, 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). They then try to obtain or verify the victim’s personal information, which can then be used to steal money or commit other fraud. HHS OIG is investigating and trying to shut the scam down.

    In the meantime, HHS OIG stresses that it does not make outgoing phone calls using the HHS OIG Hotline telephone number, and that you should not answer calls from 1-800-447-8477. It is still safe to call into the HHS OIG Hotline to report suspected fraud and abuse. You can also use the HHS OIG Hotline to report if you believe you may have been a victim of the spoofing scam. Alternatively, you can email your information to spoof@oig.hhs.gov or file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

    More information is available on the OIG Consumer Alerts webpage.

    – Kent Moore, Senior Strategist for Physician Payment for the American Academy of Family Physicians

    Posted on Mar 28, 2017 by David Twiddy


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