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We periodically warn our licensees about fraudulent attempts by criminals, and we must do so again.  Recently, one of our licensees was the victim of a scam that involved a phone call and then later a faxed letter purportedly from the LSBME in conjunction with the FBI.  The scammer pretended to be an investigator, gave a badge number, and told the physician that that his license was in danger of being suspended, that he was going to be arrested for drug trafficking and money laundering. 

This is only one of a variety of stories that are told to physicians and others to extort money in one way or another. Many medical boards are reporting similar stories in their newsletters and alerts to their licensees.

Our Director of Investigations would like to reassure you that this is not how we perform our legal duty to investigate and enforce the laws and rules of the state pertaining to our licensees.

I would like all licensees to know that any official communication from the LSBME pertaining to an Investigation will either be sent to your registered e-mail address, which is to be updated or confirmed yearly when renewing your license, or your dedicated mailing address, which again must be updated or confirmed yearly when renewing your license.  Any licensee who receives a phone call, letter or email from the Department of Investigations can call the agency to verify the authenticity of the letter.  The Department of Investigations can be reached at: (504) 568-8571.  The Department can also be emailed at 

.  The LSBME will never ask you to pay a fine related to an investigation without affording each licensee their due process and right to counsel.  If you feel you have received a fraudulent letter from the LSBME Department of Investigations, please call or email the LSBME to verify its authenticity. 

Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners

Just to restate this, anyone subject to an investigation by the LSBME is informed of this by mail, and there are certain procedures that are followed in every investigation.  Second, while the LSBME does sometimes levy a fine on a licensee, this is only AFTER an investigation involving attorneys and due process that finds that a person has violated a rule.  The LSBME would 

 ask you to send money as part of an investigation. We 

 ask you to wire money to us or anyone else.  And finally, when anyone asks you to do something and not tell anyone, you know there is something wrong.

Unfortunately, these scammers are frequently very convincing, and very clever. There may be several people involved, who answer the telephone at numbers 

 give you. If you ever receive any communication claiming to be from the Board pertaining to a potential action against your license, call our main number and ask to speak specifically to the person who the letter is from, or to an investigator.  If you ever receive a phone call from someone allegedly calling you from our main number, call us back directly to that number, (504) 568-6820 and ask to speak to the person who contacted you.

Be aware that scammers can use the “spoofing” technique where the incoming call may look like it is coming from our main number.  The only way to verify this is to hang up and call us back directly.  In general, if you are ever worried about a possible scam related to this agency, please contact call the main number or email 

.  We will tell you whether you are under investigation.

You should know the story/request is “fishy” when:

You are told your license will be suspended/revoked within days