(U//FOUO) Colorado Information Analysis Center Fake Health Inspectors Warning

Individuals Posing as Health Inspectors Contact Businesses

1 page
For Official Use Only
November 2, 2010

(U//FOUO) On 29 October the Colorado Information Analysis Center received notification from Tri-County Health Department regarding several instances of an individual posing as a health inspector. At this time the following details are available:

(U//FOUO) An individual posing as a “Health Department” inspector has called businesses in Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Larimer counties to set up a meeting to inspect their facilities. However, once scheduled the individual does not show up.

(U//FOUO) The “inspector” contacts the business indicating a time when the facility will be inspected. So far the facilities have primarily been Asian restaurants.

(U//FOUO) The inspector gives the facility contact a code that he insists must be provided when he calls back. At this time only one code, #19844, is known. The purpose or relevance of the code is unclear.

(U//FOUO) In each incident the caller ID indicated a California number: 760-705-8888.

(U//FOUO) The individual also gave Colorado (303) and (970) telephone numbers that when called were “wrong numbers.”

(U//FOUO) In two instances the caller left a Tri-County Women, Infants, and Children Office number: 303-426-5232 as the contact number.

(U//FOUO) During the Aurora incidents, the caller identified himself as “Adams Parker Health Department.”

(U//FOUO) Since the initial report of these incidents, several more cases have been reported

(U//FOUO) The CIAC is aware of similar incidents in Orange County, CA in June 2010. Although Orange County does not use the 760 area code seen in the above incidents, it is possible that these similar reports indicate a trend that crosses state lines. The “inspectors” in Orange County used the same MO as in the Colorado cases. In other states, these types of imposters have extorted money from food facility operators, although this type of activity has not been reported in Colorado.

(U//FOUO) The CIAC is requesting that agencies report similar incidents.
(U//FOUO) This report addresses the following CIAC Standing Information Needs: CIAC-SIN-16.
(U//FOUO) This report addresses the following DHS Standing Information Needs: HSEC-02-0000-ST-2010.