Scam alert: Bettendorf police are warning of utility fraud

BETTENDORF, Iowa (KWQC) – Bettendorf Police are warning the public about utility worker scams after a burglary at a home in Bettendorf.

According to police, a man acted like a city utility worker in the 800 block of 4th Street. He asked the resident to go with him to the yard where he needed to work.

The man then acted as if he had called him and left the yard, telling the resident he would be back soon, police said. The man never returned to the yard, and when the resident left the house, he found muddy footprints and stolen items.

Bettendorf Police Department Sergeant Jeff Nelson issued safety tips to neighborhood watch groups in an email to remember that if someone knocks on your door claiming to be a service worker, they should enter your home or leave your home. go out to follow them. :

• Always lock the doors to your apartment, even when you are at home.
• Stop and think: Are you waiting for someone to come to your house?
• Remember that most utility companies will not send a worker to your home unannounced. They usually make an appointment before arrival.
• Use your box or look in the window to identify visitors.
• If your door has a chain, put it on the door before answering. This creates a barrier between you and the subject. Don’t let anyone you don’t know into your home.
• Always ask to see the subject employee’s ID.
• Look for the company logo on the person’s clothing and vehicle.
• Call the utility company to verify the person’s identity. Make sure you have someone waiting outside behind a closed door while you do this. The legal representative will not mind waiting while you verify their employment information. The utility company can tell you if the person is an employee and if they made a service call to your home or neighborhood.
• If the person is a fraud or you are still in doubt about the subject’s identity, call your local law enforcement agency immediately by calling 911.

The Davenport Police Department warned the public about a similar scam in Davenport in February.

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