If you own a restaurant or any other business that sells food, you are a potential target of scammers who call and recommend themselves as health inspectors from the national authority that deals with food quality control (such as FSIS – Food Safety and Inspection Service in United States, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Australian Food Safety Inspection Company, UK Food Standards Agency etc ).

The crooks call and – very professional – will warn you about some phony complaints customers had about you and require personal information from your business.

Sometimes they even schedule a visit to your place, posing as food inspectors, in order to get access to your private financial info.

How to avoid: if he comes over, ask to see an ID - but if he’s flashing it fast before he starts talking, don’t hesitate to ask him again to show it to you. Check it well, as all the real organizations have official IDs. If it’s only over the phone, never give personal information, regardless where they’re calling from.