NJDOH Warns Residents of Phone Scam Using Fake Health Department Caller ID

Report Suspicious Calls to the Federal Trade Commission

TRENTON, NJ- The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is alerting residents to a phone scam in which callers falsely claim to be NJDOH employees. The Department has received multiple reports from concerned residents who have been subjected to these fraudulent calls.

In this scam, callers claim the recipients' personal information has been compromised, and that someone has used their name to illegally obtain prescription drugs in another state. The calls appear to come from a legitimate NJDOH phone number, but this information has been faked or spoofed. Some callers instruct recipients to contact police to file a complaint or visit NJDOH headquarters to follow up; the callers also threaten "punishment" if they do not comply.

The New Jersey Department of Health does not make unsolicited calls demanding personal information or money, threatening residents with punishment, or claiming involvement in criminal activity.While state and local health department contact tracers may call residents as part of disease investigation efforts, these calls will never involve threats or claims that the recipient is connected to illegal drug activity. They will ask you to confirm your date of birth and location of care to ensure they are protecting your privacy and are speaking to the right individual. Contact tracers ask about health status and potential exposures but will never ask you for your financial information or general prescription drug purchases.

"NJDOH will use all available means to protect residents from anyone impersonating Department officials," said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard E. Washington. "Residents must be alert to these bad actors and should immediately report these scam calls to state and federal authorities."

"Impersonation scammers frequently manufacture a sense of urgency through fear and confusion and try to force victims into hasty emotional decisions," said Jeremy E. Hollander, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. "If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a government representative who pressures you to provide money or personal information, immediately hang up and independently verify that the request is legitimate by calling the government agency in question. Thinking clearly and rationally before acting is the best way to avoid falling victim to a scam."

This type of fraud is known as an impersonator scam, in which scammers pose as representatives of trusted organizations to steal money, obtain personal information for identity theft, or gain access to financial accounts. Scammers can easily fake caller ID information to make calls appear legitimate. The Federal Trade Commissionhas more information about telephone scams.

Anyone receiving a suspicious call claiming to be from NJDOH is advised to:

• Hang up immediately, especially if you are pressured to act. This is a common sign of a scam. Residents wishing to verify the legitimacy of an individual calling from NJDOH should visit the Department's websiteor call directly using the appropriate number listed on the Department's contact page.
• Do not give out or confirm sensitive information (e.g. social security numbers, banking information) to unexpected callers.
• Never pay anyone who calls unexpectedly, even if the caller ID appears legitimate. Do not wire money or send payment using a reloadable card.
• Report scam calls to Division of Consumer Affairs via https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/Pages/Consumer-Complaints.aspx or 973-504-6200. You can also report scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission via ReportFraud.ftc.gov or 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).