Businesses Warned of Fake Fire Inspectors
Los Angeles County's District Attorney sent out a warning Thursday to be aware of a trend of scam artists claiming to be fire inspectors.
Con artists posing as local fire inspectors are targeting businesses and taking advantage of unsuspecting employees throughout the county and across California.
The phony inspectors "wear official-looking blue shirts and pants and claim they are there to 'inspect' the fire extinguishers, smoke alarms or sprinkler systems. They ask an unsuspecting employee to sign a form authorizing the inspection. Weeks or months later, a bill comes to the business’s owner for 'work done' or 'services rendered.' The bill, sometimes for an 'annual inspection,' appears to have been signed by the employee," District Attorney Steve Cooley said in a press release Thursday.
Cooley advises business owners and employees to be on the lookout. He said that although local fire department officials do conduct such inspections, they do not charge fees.
A good precautionary measure is to ask to see the inspectors' government-issued identification and a business card. Another way to tell the legitimacy of the inspector is to check the inspector's badges and uniforms for government affiliations or identifications.
Those who suspect suspicious activity were urged to contact local law enforcement or fire departments, or the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Public Affairs Section at (323) 881-2411.
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