Fake Health Inspector Scam to Create Spam Craigslist Accounts
 

Fake health inspector targets city eateries
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...alth-scam.html

Toronto Public Health is warning area restaurants of a fake public health officer threatening them with fines.

The agency said they have received some 40 complaints in the past two weeks from restaurateurs claiming someone posing as a health inspector has contacted them.

The person tells restaurant staff that they must call a special telephone number or face a fine of up to $500.

"I've been in this industry for 10 years and you don't get phone calls like that, they don't warn you when they're coming, they just show up," said Allison Tennier, from the Senator in Toronto.

Health officials believe the code is actually a confirmation number sent by Craigslist and that the caller planned to use the code, and the restaurant's phone number, to set up a fake Craigslist account to be used for fake posts and spam.

Toronto Public Health Inspector Jim Chan said they have received nearly 40 complaints about similar calls in the past two weeks.

"Public health inspectors do not arrange for inspection and there's no fee for inspection at all," Chan said. "For someone to call and actually demand someone to make an arrangement ? that's very suspicious."

Chan said inspectors would always identify themselves properly if they call.