URGENT ALERT: Scams Targeting West Virginia Nurses
The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses has issued an urgent warning regarding active fraudulent phone schemes targeting RNs and APRNs across the state. Imposters are posing as Board representatives to solicit personal information, sell fake benefits packages, or extort licensees.
Protect Your Personal & Professional Information
The Board will NEVER sell benefits packages, offer insurance products, demand immediate payments over the phone, or instruct you not to contact our office directly. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately and do not provide sensitive personal or financial information.
Active Fraudulent Schemes Nurses have reported receiving fraudulent calls utilizing two primary tactics:
- Benefits & Insurance Solicitations (NEW): Callers claim to represent the Board and offer benefits packages, life insurance, or financial services. These callers attempt to collect sensitive personal information and strictly refuse to provide a verifiable call-back number when requested.
- Fake Investigations & License Suspension Threats: Callers manipulate caller ID technology to make your phone falsely display the official Board office number (304-744-0900), then transfer nurses to a fake "chief investigator" claiming involvement in a drug trafficking case.. Scammers falsely state the nurse's license is suspended, demand secrecy under a "Privacy Act," and become aggressive if questioned.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration also has warned of imposters posing as DEA agents. Information and reporting of these scams can be found at this DEA press release: Scammers impersonating DEA Agents
Official Board Communication Protocols To help protect yourself, please remember how the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses operates:
- No Commercial Solicitations: The Board does not sell or endorse commercial products, insurance policies, or financial benefit plans.
- Official Written Notice: All initial formal disciplinary notices and official investigation communications are delivered via certified mail and/or posted directly to your secure Nurse Portal account.
- Verifiable Identity: Legitimate Board staff will always provide their name and extension, and will allow you to hang up and call back directly using the Board's official published phone number.
How to Report Fraudulent Calls If you have received a suspicious call or believe you have been targeted by a scammer, please submit a report directly to federal regulatory authorities:
- Report Fraud to the FTC — File an official report if you have been targeted by or lost money to an imposter scam.
- FCC Consumer Complaint Portal — Report phone number spoofing, robocalls, and telecommunication fraud.
- National Do Not Call Registry — Report registry violations and persistent unlawful solicitations.