Extortion Scam Targeting DEA Registrants

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently released an alert warning of an extortion scam targeting DEA registrants, including physician anesthesiologists. Members are encouraged to be careful to avoid being impacted by the scam.
 
According to the DEA, individuals are receiving telephone calls and emails from persons who identify themselves as DEA employees or other law enforcement personnel. The callers are masking their telephone number by showing the DEA Registration Support toll-free number. The DEA confirms that its employees will never contact registrants and ask for money or threaten to suspend DEA registration.
 
Any registrant who is contacted by persons purporting to work for the DEA and seeking money or threatening to suspend a registrant’s DEA license can report the incident using the DEA online reporting form.