by Officer John Thomas
Have you ever had someone enter your business claiming to be an inspector representing the City of Temecula or Temecula Fire Department who didn’t seem legitimate? If so, you might have been the victim of a phony inspector scam. Online accounts of businesses throughout the country losing hundreds of dollars are becoming more frequent. This article will help you recognize legitimate inspectors and avoid being victimized by scammers.
The scam starts when a person shows up claiming to represent your city or the local fire department. They indicate they are there to conduct a required inspection of fire alarms, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors or other items and may pressure employees to sign an authorization form. They will not have checked with management and might threaten some kind of penalty if the employee does not comply. They conduct a brief “inspection” and may allege violations of codes or ordinances. The business will receive an invoice, days later, totaling hundreds of dollars. If the invoice is not paid they may threaten legal action.
The Temecula Fire Department does not charge for annual inspections they perform. If an inspection is required, a uniformed firefighter will contact the management of the business and will be prepared with proper identification. It will be clearly explained what the inspection is for. Most inspections will be performed by more than one uniformed firefighter. Inspections performed during construction will be done with the contractor performing the work.
If an inspection is required to be performed by a representative of the city, the business owner will have to contact the city to schedule the inspection. City inspectors do not wear a uniform but will have a shirt with the city logo on it. The city does have fees for inspections. These fees will not be collected by the inspector. The business owner or representative must pay the fees at city hall.
There are legitimate companies out there who perform various inspections for a fee. Inspections offered by a non-governmental agency are strictly voluntary and you have every right to refuse. If in doubt, contact the appropriate department and confirm if an inspection is required or not. If you choose to have an inspection performed by a company, check them out thoroughly to ensure they are properly licensed to perform the inspections. Never pay cash to the inspector for an inspection. Keep track of the dates of required inspections and fire extinguisher expiration dates. Educate your employees about recognizing fraud. With the cost of running a business being so high, you need to be prepared to avoid being taken advantage of by unscrupulous companies. A little knowledge just might save you a lot of money.
Community Service Officer John Thomas is a long time resident of Temecula and is a Crime Prevention Officer with the Temecula Police Department Crime Prevention Unit. He can be reached at (951) 506-5132.