The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is once again warning the public about phone scammers impersonating state officials and government agencies to target medical professionals, particularly those in the dental field.

According to the department, these scammers make false threats of investigations in an attempt to obtain sensitive personal information.

Similar to last November, there have been recent reports of people pretending to be state officials contacting current or former dental licensees, falsely claiming an investigation is being conducted into their professional license. The scammers may even use a caller ID spoofing a legitimate government agency.

Although recent incidents have primarily involved dental professionals, other medical professionals, including nurses, pharmacists and others, have often been targeted.

The department is encouraging anyone who has received one of these scam calls to call their respective licensing board/program or the Professional & Vocational Licensing Division at (808) 586-3000. A list of programs and contact information is available at cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/.