Dental Board of California Issues An Email Fraud Alert

On March 14, 2024, the Dental Board of California (DBC) issued a fraud alert regarding a recent phishing scam targeting DBC licensees. The DBC alerted the public about a similar, but slightly different nuanced, scam two years ago.

Scam artists posing as DBC staff email licensees asking them to click on a link to an encrypted message. The subject line of the email may say it is regarding your license or an investigation from the DBC.

The fake emails may appear to come from the DBC and may use fake DBC letterhead to add authenticity to the scam. If you receive an email claiming to be from the DBC or a DBC employee, or asking you to click on a link, please consider the following:

• Avoid suspicious email links and addresses. Hover over links to see the actual URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn’t match the claimed sender, don’t click.
• Be skeptical and approach unsolicited emails with caution.
• Always treat email attachments with caution.
• Beware of urgency.
• Verify that the email address is sent from a DBC email with a Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) email address. For example, most DCA emails end with @dca.ca.gov.

Contact the DBC at dentalboard@dca.ca.gov or 877-729-7789 (Toll Free) for more information about the fraud alert and to inquire if you are the subject of an official investigation.