I recently got a call from someone claiming to be with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.
He told me there was “suspicious activity” involving my dental license.
Interesting.
I still keep my dental license active, but I practice law full-time and have not practiced dentistry in over a decade.
Then it got better.
According to the caller, my dental license was somehow tied to a drug-trafficking investigation involving federal law, the FBI, and something he called the “Aviation Drug Trafficking Control Act of 1984.” He also told me the call was being federally recorded and monitored.
At that point, I told him three things:
- I am a dentist.
- I am also an attorney.
- And I regularly represent dentists before the Texas Dental Board.
The conversation immediately became much less fun for him.
I started asking basic questions.
- Where is the written notice?
- What is the complaint?
- Why is the Dental Board handling a supposed federal drug-trafficking case?
- Why have I received nothing in writing?
- And if this is legitimate, why can't I just hang up and call TSBDE directly?
His response was to suggest that local authorities could come to my doorstep for questioning.
That was a nice touch.
Eventually, I asked for a number so I could call the Board back myself. He gave me TSBDE's actual main number, which is exactly why these scams can sound convincing. A scammer can spoof a real number or simply read one off the internet.
The takeaway is simple.
If someone calls claiming to be from TSBDE and starts talking about investigations, law enforcement, arrest, money, or urgent action, do not panic.
Hang up.
Go to the official TSBDE website.
Call the Board yourself.
And definitely do not give out banking information, passwords, Social Security numbers, or payment information. TSBDE has specifically warned Texas dentists about scammers impersonating the Board.
So, apparently my dental license briefly became part of an "international narcotics investigation". Fortunately, the “Chief Investigating Officer” picked the wrong dentist to call.
And probably the wrong lawyer too.
