Warning for Restaurant and Food Retailers Regarding Inspection Scam

London, ON – The Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) would like to warn all restaurant and retail store operators of an ongoing scam involving individuals fraudulently posing as public health inspectors, public health officials, or food inspectors.

Hundreds of restaurant and retail store operators across Canada have been contacted in the last two to three months by individuals impersonating public health inspectors, public health officials or food inspectors. The caller often indicates that there is a problem with the establishment and asks for detailed business and personal information. They attempt to schedule an inspection of the food premises and then ask for a return call to confirm the information through the use of a unique code number. Operators are threatened with large monetary fines if they do not co-operate.

The purpose of the scam is to extort money from operators and in some cases to set up fake identities via websites in order to fraudulently sell goods or services. These websites require a phone call in order to verify an identity before setting up an account. The operators are being duped into participating in this scam.

CIPHI would like to remind operators that environmental public health professionals that conduct food inspections do not usually contact operators to schedule inspections and would not require the use of a unique code. Environmental public health professionals will also carry photo identification. If you are approached by an individual claiming to be an inspector, we encourage you to ask for proper identification if you are not familiar with the inspector.

If you suspect that you have been contacted by someone impersonating an inspector, you should report the incident to your local police service or to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501; www.phonebusters.com).

Operators can also contact their local Health Department if they have any questions, concerns and/or to confirm if the individual contacting them works for the Health Department.

For more information on the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors, please visit www.ciphi.ca.

About CIPHI

The Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) is the professional association for environmental public health professionals (i.e. public health inspectors) in Canada (incorporated 1934). The CIPHI works to protect the health of all Canadians, advance the sanitary/environmental sciences and enhance the field of Public Health Inspection. CIPHI has been active in advocating for sound public health policy in Canada for many years with government departments and a wide variety of stakeholders.

The CIPHI through its Board of Certification (BOC) certifies public health inspectors in Canada. The Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada) is recognized by the departments of health and other agencies in Canada as evidence of satisfactory training. In Canada, Certified Public Health Inspectors are employed with ministries of health, environment, and agriculture within the public sector and within corporate offices in the private sector. The newly established Council of Professional Experience (CoPE) ensures that environmental public health professionals meet and maintain standards of professional competency and practice across Canada. For more information about CIPHI please visit www.ciphi.ca.

For More Information or to Arrange an Interview:

English
Adam Grant – National President
Tel: 519-852-5664 | Email: president@ciphi.ca

French
Stefane Gravelle
Tel: 204-761-2258