CDPH warns of impersonators seeking personal information. Here’s how to verify a suspicious call and respond if you already shared something.
A caller says a prescription was filled in your name. Before you explain anything or confirm your details, hang up and check independently.
California’s Department of Public Health issued an October 22 warning about impersonators using prescription claims to seek personal information. Some reportedly transfer people to video calls with someone posing as a police officer. The warning applies statewide, including Los Angeles.
For anyone trying to work out whether the call concerns their medication or identity, the immediate task is verification. You don’t have to settle the caller’s story while they’re keeping you on the line.
The CDPH warning, republished in full by Redheaded Blackbelt, describes pressure involving threatened legal consequences or canceled prescriptions.
CDPH may make legitimate public-health calls. It says it will never request Social Security numbers, credit-card information or payment by phone.
How to check a suspicious call
Hang up, then contact CDPH at (916) 558-1784. The number is independently listed in California’s official department directory. The warning also directs recipients to notify local law enforcement and report the incident at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Don’t use a callback number supplied by the caller. The Federal Trade Commission’s guidance on avoiding scams explains that caller ID can be manipulated. A familiar agency name or official-looking number does not establish who is calling.
Pressure is another reason to pause. The FTC warns that scammers may insist you stay on the phone so you cannot check their claims. Before responding to an unexpected demand, talk it through with someone you trust.
The pattern also appears in fake jury-duty calls threatening arrest in Los Angeles County: an alarming claim is followed by a demand to resolve it immediately. The prescription warning concerns a separate scam, but the verification step is similar. End the interaction and reach the institution yourself.
Already shared information? Start with what was exposed
Answering the phone, sharing a password and sending money call for different responses. The FTC’s recovery instructions for people who were scammed separate the next steps by what happened.
If you sent money: Contact the bank, card issuer or payment service immediately. Explain the fraud and ask whether the transaction can be reversed. Getting money back is not guaranteed.
If you shared a password: Change it, including on other accounts where you reused it, and enable two-factor authentication.
If you disclosed your Social Security number: The FTC directs people to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan if it was misused. If you don’t know whether it was used, follow the protective steps at IdentityTheft.gov/databreach.
If you allowed access to your phone or computer: Update security software, run a scan, address detected problems and secure your accounts. Seek help from the device manufacturer or another trusted source if needed.
You do not need to lose money before reporting a suspected scam. The FTC says reports help identify patterns, educate the public and build cases.
For families comparing notes about an unsettling call, the useful question is what was actually shared or done. That gives you a starting point for protecting accounts and information while authorities receive the report.
