The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently confirmed that the HHS OIG Hotline telephone number is being used as part of a telephone scam targeting individuals throughout the country.  Scammers are targeting individuals by calling their private phone lines and representing themselves as employees of the HHS.  The Scammers are able to alter the appearance of the caller ID to make it appear that the incoming call is from the HHS OIG Hotline number – 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).  Scammers are using various tactics to obtain personal information to steal money from bank accounts, steal individuals’ identities, and commit other fraudulent activity.  HHS OIG is actively investigating this matter and intends to prosecute these Scammers to the fullest extent of the law.

To protect yourself from this scam and any other identity theft scams do not provide personal information to unknown individuals, including any of the following information:

• Social security number
• Date of birth
• Credit card information
• Driver’s license number
• Bank account information
• Mother’s maiden name

The public should remain vigilant and cautious in protecting personal information.  If you believe you are a victim of this telephone scam, immediately contact and report the incident to the HHS OIG Hotline (1-800-447-8477) or file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

For more information about the OIG HHS Telephone Scam, contact Bill Kalogredis, Esquire at Lamb McErlane PC: (610) 701-4402 bkalogredis@lambmcerlane.com or Katherine (“Katie”) E. LaDow, Esquire at Lamb McErlane PC: (610) 701-3261 kladow@lambmcerlane.com.

Vasilios (“Bill”) J. Kalogredis is Chairman of Lamb McErlane’s Health Law Department. Bill has been practicing health law for over 40 years, representing exclusively physicians, dentists, group practices, other health care professionals and health care-related entities.

*Katherine (“Katie”) E. LaDow, Esquire, an associate with Lamb McErlane P.C., contributed to this article. Katie is an associate in the litigation department. She concentrates her practice in the areas of state civil litigation, family law and health law.