Indiana Attorney General issues fraud alert for scam targeting nurses

Attorney General Todd Rokita is warning Hoosier nurses to be alert to phone calls from scammers claiming they must pay a large amount of money to avoid a license suspension. Fraudulent demands for payment have also been made via fax, with letterhead made to appear as if it originated from the U.S. Department of Justice and/or the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. 

Attorney General Rokita offers the following tips to avoid license scams:

• Be wary of callers who specifically ask you to pay by wire transfer. This type of payment is a red flag and is difficult to trace or reverse.
• Check your license status online at https://www.in.gov/pla/license/free-search-and-verify/.
• Be suspicious of any demands for large dollar amounts to be immediately paid while an investigation is pending. While licensing boards may issue fines for the violation of licensing statutes, fines are limited to $1,000 per violation, and they may only be issued after a final order is issued after a final adjudication of an administrative complaint.
• Be suspicious of any demands for payment delivered by fax or telephone. Licensing boards send final orders requiring the payment of fines by mail to the licensee’s addresses on file with the board. 
• If you suspect fraudulent activity, do not provide any personal information and end the call. Contact the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency at 317-234-2043 or pla2@pla.in.gov.

If consumers believe they have been victims of deceptive or fraudulent business practices, they can also file consumer complaints at https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/2426.htm.