The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) is reminding professional license holders of a scam that may be resurfacing in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin’s licensing agency was contacted by several credential holders this week reporting a call from a man pretending to be a DSPS investigator. The scammer claims there is a problem with the target’s license due to being a suspect in illegal activity.
DSPS notes these scams can be very convincing at first. The Caller ID mimics the DSPS phone number, and the caller may provide a phony case number or badge number. DSPS investigators do not carry a badge or have a badge number.
DSPS also wants license holders to be aware that DSPS and state regulatory boards will never contact credential holders requesting payment to clear or restore licenses. A call, email, fax, letter, text or other communication indicating that there are problems with a license or credential that can be resolved with immediate payment or by clicking a link or providing your email and/or password are suspicious and should not be acted upon without further verification.
DSPS offers some tips to remember when in doubt:
- Do not provide money or personal information, even if you feel pressured, threatened, or scared.
- Hang up or ignore it.
- Report suspicious calls, texts, or emails that mention DSPS or any regulating or credentialing board.
You may file a complaint online at the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center or by calling 202-324-3000. The
DSPS website provides the proper routes to take to verify your licensure status. Wisconsin license holders can check the status of their license at any time by logging in to their LicensE account or by using the public License Look-Up tool on the DSPS website to verify their license is in “active” status.
Contact WHA Senior Vice President of Workforce and Clinical Practice
Ann Zenk with questions about licensure or any other workforce issue.