Posted: July 28th, 2011 - 10:50pm
Source: The Hartford Courant

MILFORD -- Food service workers on Wednesday were warned not to provide sensitive business information over the phone after police said they were notified of multiple fraudulent phone calls targeting restaurants.
This type of scam has been reported to law enforcement agencies, state and local health departments and Better Business bureaus nationwide. Police said the caller usually looks to obtain a verification code which will allow him or her to create an online account used to "engage in fraudulent activities over the Internet."
Most recently, police said they received a complaint from a restaurant owner who indicated that a man posing as a health inspector tried to schedule a restaurant inspection over the phone. The man allegedly told the business owner that he would receive an automated call to the restaurant after they discontinued their phone conversation.
The business owner received the automated call, which provided him with a six-digit Craig's List number, police said. Shortly after the automated call, the male caller contacted the business owner and asked him to provide the six-digit verification number and a secondary phone number.