Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) issued a warning about a scam targeting Spanish-speaking injured workers in nearby Idaho and Montana.

The scammers contact the workers by phone, email, social media apps such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, or video calls, and try to convince the worker to appear at an online workers’ compensation hearing, resulting, at times, in an official appearing order in their favor.

They are then told they must pay money to receive the workers’ compensation benefits or the settlement for their claim.

The communications may appear official with a fake judge, attorney, or government representative.

The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division (WCD), part of DCBS, and the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) remind workers that they will never ask anyone to pay to receive benefits.

The department offers tips to workers:

1. WCD, WCB, and insurance companies do not ask for payment to release workers’ compensation benefits. Never pay money up front for benefits or settlements.
2. WCD and WCB will never ask for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Be skeptical of any payment requests.
3. Official communications from WCD and WCB will not pressure you to act or pay immediately.
4. WCB, which conducts workers’ compensation hearings, does not charge or collect fees for hearings or mediation.
5. WCB does not use social media or applications such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp to communicate with parties about hearings or mediations.

To verify whether a communication is legitimate, contact the Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers by phone at 800-927-1271 (toll-free) or email at oow.questions@dcbs.oregon.gov. The office serves as an independent advocate for workers.