BCSO warns public of DOPL fraud

In a public service announcement released by the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, officials are warning the community of fraud in relation to the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.  

According to a public service announcement released by BCSO, scammers are posing as DOPL employees in fraudulent emails and phone calls.

“The DOPL will not call or email you to request payments, Social Security numbers, or any other sensitive personal information. If you are uncertain whether communication is legitimate, please hang up or ignore the message. You can verify your license/registration details by logging into your account at https://edopl.idaho.gov/ or contact us directly at our main line 208-334-3233,” said the press release.  

Red flags to be aware of:

Unsolicited calls demanding payment in gift cards or crypto.  

Emails with urgent links — “your account is locked, click now!” 

Too-good-to-be-true offers: inheritance, lottery wins or “free” trials 

How to protect yourself:

Pause and verify — never share personal information under pressure 

Check sources — call back using official numbers from statements or legitimate websites (https:// instead of http://) 

Use strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication  

Report fraud to https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or 1-877-FTC-HELP* 

*At the time of publication, this service is unavailable due to the federal government shutdown.