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Thursday, July 7, 2011

Crooks Posing As Health Inspectors Scam Restaurants

Crooks Posing As Health Inspectors Scam Restaurants
Scammers Demand Money, Police Say

Police are searching for scammers posing as Iowa health inspectors and targeting restaurants throughout Des Moines.

Investigators said scammers are specifically targeting central Iowa's Asian community hoping that restaurant owners and employees will give in to extortion.

Police said the crooks are falsely informing restaurant managers that customers have filed complaints. The fake inspectors then say that they can make the problems disappear if the owners provide cash.
"The most recent example was a Des Moines area restaurant that literally lost thousands of dollars out of their bank account as a result of these scammers," said David Werning with the Department of Inspections and Appeals.

In the past few days, as many as 10 central Iowa eateries have reported similar attempted scams.
"It appears they are targeting Asian-American restaurants. It's our belief they're picking these restaurants because, often times, the owners and operators don't have a clear understanding of the English language," Werning said.

The owner of one restaurant in Ankeny said a caller identified himself as a federal food inspector and asked for sensitive personal and financial information. The owner said she hung up the phone.
"She didn't fall for the ploy this time -- she hung up on the scammers," Werning said. "But her first experience, unfortunately, resulted in the loss of several thousand dollars from the company's bank account. So she learned a lesson the hard way. Some of the tactics have been bullying. If you try to argue with them, they get very forceful."

Authorities said restaurant owners and employees should know that state inspectors will never ask for personal information, never threaten to close up the restaurant if owners do not cooperate and would never suggest problems can just go away if the owner hands over cash.

Anyone who receives a call like this should call police and the Department of Inspections and Appeals.

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