Scam alert
Health Department Caller Says a Prescription Is in Your Name? Hang Up
Posted
California · cdph.ca.gov · Arrives by a phone call
The short answer
A caller who says they are from the health department, says a prescription was filled in your name, and pushes you to verify personal details to clear your record is a scammer. On October 22, 2026, the California Department of Public Health warned that callers posing as its staff use department names, badge numbers and spoofed department phone numbers, and some move people to a video call with a fake police officer. CDPH says it never asks for Social Security numbers, credit card information or payment over the phone. Hang up and call CDPH at (916) 558-1784.
What is happening
On October 22, 2026, the California Department of Public Health warned that scammers posing as its employees were calling people to say a prescription had been filled in their name and urging them to verify right away to "clear their record," sometimes moving them to a video call with someone posing as a police officer in a fake uniform and a fake recording room, KTLA reported via AOL the same day. CDPH said the callers reference CDPH names, badge numbers or phone lines, ask for details such as dates of birth or driver's license numbers, tell people to download encrypted apps for video calls or try to access their devices, threaten legal consequences or canceled prescriptions, and sometimes direct people to meet at a Sacramento address. CDPH said its staff may contact people for public health work such as contact tracing, but will never ask for Social Security numbers, credit card information or payment over the phone.
How to recognize it
- A caller says they are from the health department and that a prescription was filled in your name.
- You are told to verify your date of birth, driver's license number or other personal details right away to clear your record.
- You are moved to a video call with someone dressed as a police officer.
- You are told to download an encrypted app for a video call, or the caller tries to get into your phone or computer.
- The caller threatens legal trouble or canceled prescriptions, or tells you to meet at an address.
What to do instead
- Hang up. The health department will not ask for your Social Security number, credit card information or a payment over the phone.
- Call the department yourself. In California, CDPH's main line is (916) 558-1784. Elsewhere, look up your state health department's number on its official website.
- Do not download an app or join a video call because a caller tells you to.
- Tell your local police about the call.
- If you want to tell someone, the rule is: hang up on a health department caller who wants your details, then call the department yourself.
If it already happened
Responding to one of these is common and understandable. These steps are what people usually take next.
- These callers use official names and spoofed numbers, so believing them is easy.
- If you shared your driver's license number, Social Security number or other personal details, make a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
- If you shared card details, call your card company on the number on your card.
- Report it to your local police and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Common questions
- Does the health department ever call people?
- Yes. CDPH says its staff may contact people for public health investigations and contact tracing. Those calls never involve requests for Social Security numbers, credit card information or payment over the phone.
- Caller ID showed a real CDPH number. Does that make the call real?
- No. CDPH says these scammers spoof its phone numbers. Another alert on this site, A Real Government Number on Caller ID Proves Nothing, explains why.
Practice this safely
Practice hanging up on an official-sounding caller and calling the agency back on a number you look up.
Every story is fictional. There is no timer, no score, and no real message, payment, or account.
Tell someone
Copy a short note you can paste into a text or email. It names the scam, the next step, and this page. Nothing is sent from this site.
Health Department Caller Says a Prescription Is in Your Name? Hang Up A caller who says they are from the health department, says a prescription was filled in your name, and pushes you to verify personal details to clear your record is a scammer. On October 22, 2026, the California Department of Public Health warned that callers posing as its staff use department names, badge numbers and spoofed department phone numbers, and some move people to a video call with a fake police officer. CDPH says it never asks for Social Security numbers, credit card information or payment over the phone. Hang up and call CDPH at (916) 558-1784. Read the full alert: https://endscamsproject.com/latest-scams/health-department-prescription-call-scam
Where this comes from
These links open the published sources in a new tab. The destination is shown before you open it.
- California Department of Public Health: CDPH Warns of Phone Scams Impersonating Public Health Officials (NR26-032, October 22, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
cdph.ca.gov
- KTLA via AOL: Scammers posing as California officials use fake police video calls to threaten victims (October 22, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
aol.com
- Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (opens in a new tab)
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
The full guide on this
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This alert provides general educational information drawn from the sources above. It cannot determine whether a specific message you received is genuine, investigate an incident, or promise recovery or reimbursement.