At least one suspected con artist offered to perform a fire inspection and safety test at a Burbank business, prompting Burbank Police Thursday to offer tips on how not to get burned by this scam.
If someone arrives at a business offering to do such tests, authorities urged workers to:
— check if the person has an invoice with the correct address of the business;
— ask for a business card from the person;
— find out who at the business approved the work;
— be alert for someone seeking immediate payment for the work. Typically, businesses get invoiced for services and do not pay with cash or checks on site, said Burbank Police spokesman Joshua Kendrick.
“In one case an individual gave an employee, the name of the business they supposedly worked for,” said Kendrick.
“The alert business employee Googled the company name several different ways, but could not find any such business,” Kendrick continued. “When she questioned the individual, he walked out of the business.”
Anyone seeing a suspicious individual or suspicious activity, or who has been a victim of scams like this, was urged to call Burbank Police at (818) 238-3000.
—Staff and wire reports