Crime & Safety

County Officials Warn Local Businesses: Beware Phone Scam

The scheme is targeting restaurants and other small businesses throughout the state, according to Julayne Gath, supervising environmental health specialist with the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health.

County officials are warning local restaurant owners about an extensive scam in which a phony health inspector claims there is a new procedure for inspections, and dupes individuals into setting up an account with an online auction service.

The scheme is targeting restaurants and other small businesses throughout the state, according to Julayne Gath, supervising environmental health specialist with the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health.

“We’ve been hearing about this over the course of some time,” Gath said. “It seems to be nationwide.”

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The phone scam has also been reported in Washington, Kansas and Minnesota.

Gath said the DEH issued the same warning about a year ago, and the fraud seemed to die down for a while. Since last week, however, the department has received more than a dozen contacts regarding the scheme, either from business owners calling or coming into the office.

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“The sad part is that people want so badly to comply with what the health department asks, they just do this without thinking,” she said.

As part of the scam, someone claiming to be a health inspector has called a number of restaurants saying a new procedure to arrange inspections requires the business owner to get a special confirmation code. The con artist is using information provided by the business owner to set up bogus online accounts in connection with a national auction service. When the restaurateur gets the code, the business's phone number becomes forever linked to the online auction site.

According to Gath, county officials believe the scammers are using those accounts for other fraud schemes.

“We don’t know what the product is that they’re selling,” she said. “But by they way they’re doing it, it’s probably illegal.”

Gath said there is no new inspection procedure and a DEH inspector would never call a business to arrange an inspection. The county only conducts unannounced inspections.

Here’s what business owners can do to protect themselves from fraudulent practices:

  • Be assured there is no new procedure for health inspections of your business.
  • Remember that health inspectors only make unannounced visits. One will never call you in advance to schedule an inspection.
  • Health inspectors, as well as all other government agency staff and personnel, will have photo identification to show they are legitimate. If you have any doubt about an inspector’s authenticity, ask for ID.
  • Never give out personal or business information over the phone unless you’re sure of who is calling.

To ask questions or report this scam, call the Environmental Health specialist on duty at 858-505-6900.


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