TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Health is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers falsely claim to be NJDOH employees and use spoofed caller ID information to appear legitimate.
The department said it has received multiple reports from residents who were contacted by scammers claiming their personal information had been compromised and used to illegally obtain prescription drugs in another state. The callers often instruct recipients to contact police, visit NJDOH headquarters, or face “punishment” if they do not comply.
Although the calls appear to come from an official NJDOH phone number, the department said the caller ID information is being faked.
The New Jersey Department of Health emphasized that it does not make unsolicited calls demanding personal information or money, threatening residents, or claiming involvement in criminal activity. While state and local health department contact tracers may contact residents as part of disease investigation efforts, those calls do not include threats or allegations of illegal drug activity.
Contact tracers may ask individuals to confirm their date of birth and location of care to ensure privacy and verify identity, and may ask about health status and potential exposures. They will never request financial information or details about prescription drug purchases.
“NJDOH will use all available means to protect residents from anyone impersonating Department officials,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard E. Washington. “Residents must be alert to these bad actors and should immediately report these scam calls to state and federal authorities.”
“Impersonation scammers frequently manufacture a sense of urgency through fear and confusion and try to force victims into hasty emotional decisions,” said Jeremy E. Hollander, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a government representative who pressures you to provide money or personal information, immediately hang up and independently verify that the request is legitimate by calling the government agency in question. Thinking clearly and rationally before acting is the best way to avoid falling victim to a scam.”
Officials said the fraud is known as an impersonator scam, in which criminals pose as representatives of trusted organizations to steal money, obtain personal information for identity theft, or gain access to financial accounts. Scammers can easily falsify caller ID information to make calls appear authentic.
Residents who receive suspicious calls claiming to be from NJDOH are advised to hang up immediately, avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial information, and never send money or payment to unexpected callers.
Scam calls may be reported to the Division of Consumer Affairs online or by calling 973-504-6200, and to the Federal Trade Commission through its fraud reporting system.
