The caller asked for key pieces of information.
The Arkansas Optometric Association has alerted the state attorney general’s office and its own members about a voice phishing, or “vishing,” scam.
“A caller to an Arkansas doctor of optometry insisted an office manager confirm the doctor of optometry’s national provider identifier, his DEA identifier number for writing prescriptions for drugs, and his state license number,” the American Optometric Association reports.
When the manager didn’t go for it, “the caller insisted on talking to the doctor or risk deactivation of the numbers if the information was not forthcoming,” according to AOA.
The office filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency.
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The optometrist is quoted saying: “We knew it was a scam. We know if it’s official it will be sent via a letter.”
A half-dozen other practices in Arkansas report that they’ve received similar calls, AOA reports.
Vicki Farmer, executive director of the Arkansas Optometric Association, said, “Doctors of optometry and paraoptometric staff should pay attention to the AOA and your state affiliate news for warnings and ways to protect yourself from these attacks. As soon as ArOA was notified of the first threat, we sprang into action to provide information to our members on how to report these scams and how to avoid falling into a trap – not giving out any information, demanding names and call back numbers, checking with the agency the person says they are representing, and reporting the incident to the federal and state authorities.”
Read more at AOA
