Scammers calling local restaurants

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - We begin with a warning from the Erie County Health Commissioner. Restaurants have been advised to guard against con artists posing as health inspectors.

Francesca's Ristorante Italiano on Seneca street in South Buffalo is typically bustling during the dinner hours. So, when the phone rang Tuesday night, Maggie was busy at the bar, but quickly answered. Her boss explains what happened.

Nick Warrington said, "She got a phone call from somebody with a thick Indian accent."

The caller said his name.

"He said he was calling from the Health Department, and was just letting us know that a health inspector will be coming in at 3 p.m. today," explained Warrington.

Immediately, a red flag went up because the Health Department doesn't call ahead when they're doing an inspection. The caller asked for her cell phone number and Maggie gave it to him.

Warrington said, "She received automatically in two minutes or so ten phone calls from them."

All coming from the same 310 area code.

"We looked it up. It's a Sacramento, California number, so right there we knew the Health Department wouldn't be calling from California," said Warrington.

Dr. Anthony Billittier, Commissioner of the Erie County Health Department, said, "It's really unclear to us what this is all about."

Dr. Billittier says Francesca's isn't the only restaurant that received one of these sham phone calls.

Dr. Billittier said, "Apparently claimed about food problems in the area, and the concerning part is he's asked for cell phone numbers from whom he called."

Not only that, they're claiming to be the local Health Department.

Warrington stated, "When someone says, "Health Department," and "inspector coming," you kinda comply, because those are the people that control your business."

When traced, the number comes back from Craigslist. Dr. Billittier says at least two Hamburg restaurants have received the same phone call. He believes there are others out there and the Health Department would like to hear from them.