Calgary fire officials are warning residents about a potential scam after getting reports of a someone going door-to-door offering free furnace inspections while claiming to be from the fire department.
The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) says they never go door-to-door or make cold calls offering inspections and are advising anyone who receives such an offer to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to police.
“Callers will even spoof numbers so the call display may appear to indicate it is the fire department calling, however it is not,” reads a CFD release.
The fire department says residents could be more susceptible to accept an offer, citing a recent carbon monoxide death in the city’s southwest that reportedly due to a furnace issue.
They instead ask Calgarians to contact certified HVAC businesses if they think they could be having furnace problems.
Police are asking residents to adhere to the following:
- Never share personal information over the phone, in person, or allow unknown individuals into your homes without proper verification.
- Collect detailed descriptions of individuals and any vehicle information including licence plate numbers.
- Be cautious of unexpected visitors to verify their identity before allowing entry.
- All suspicious activity should be reported to the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234 or online through the non-emergency reporting system.