NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Medical professionals should be on the lookout of a new scam going around, according to the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office.

The AG’s Division of Consumer Affairs issued a warning regarding a widespread fraud scheme that targets health and medical professionals. According to the Division, scammers impersonating agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are attempting to extort money or steal personal identifiable information. On the calls, scammers often claim the provider’s National Provider Information (NPI) has been compromised and is being used for illicit purposes.

The Division said a Tennessee dentist was the subject of such a scam call last week. According to the victim, the purported scammer provided a detailed story about the dentist’s NPI being stolen and used for large-scale purchases of drugs, including oxycodone. The scammer also told the dentist their practice was being investigated by multiple government agencies. When pressed by the dentist for more information, the scammer was unable to provide some key information and abruptly hung up.

“It is important to remember that DEA personnel will never contact members of the public or providers to demand payment, will never request personal information, and will only notify people of a legitimate investigation or legal action in person or by official letter,” the Division said in a release.

Any medical professional who receives calls like these should immediately report the call to the FBI, the AG’s office said. If needed, the Federal Trade Commission can provide recovery steps, share information with other law enforcement agencies and take reports HERE.

If you are a victim and provided personal information to a scammer, the Division has resources available to help protect yourself from future identity theft. Additionally, you can file a complaint on the incident HERE.