The Oregon State Board of Nursing has received reports of scammers contacting licensees via telephone, fax, and email, claiming to be Board staff. In some instances, licensees have received fake letters that claim their license is suspended due to false federal drug violations. The letter uses a poor copy of the OSBN letterhead and a forged signature from Director Prusak. If you receive a suspicious contact, do not provide any sensitive information.
OSBN Staff
will not:
- Demand or require payment over the phone. Civil penalties are only issued through a written notice/order.
- Notify a licensee or certificate-holder of an investigation by phone. A licensee or certificate-holder will receive a letter that includes the allegation, contact information for the assigned investigator, and details on the investigation process.
- Require a licensee or certificate-holder to provide personal information over the phone. Information or documents for an application or renewal application are available via OSBN's Nurse Licensing Portal.
- Create a sense of urgency. If a licensee or certificate-holder is contacted by the Board, they will have a legally protected amount of time to respond.
- Advise against speaking with an attorney.
Oregon licensees may contact the Board directly to confirm the legitimacy of a phone call. However, the OSBN is not able to investigate or track suspicious contact.
If you have been contacted by a scammer, the Oregon State Board of Nursing urges you to visit the
Federal Trade Commission website or the
Oregon Consumer Protection website to report your encounter. The Federal Trade Commission can't resolve individual reports but does use the information to investigate and bring cases against fraud and scams. Additionally, if information was provided (especially credit card or bank information), you should contact local law enforcement or the Attorney General and your financial institution.