Offered a free home safety inspection? Don't let them in, Modesto Fire Department warns

The Modesto Fire Department is warning of an apparent scam in which a person (or people) goes to a home, claims to be with the city of Modesto Fire Prevention Division and offers a free home inspection for Fire Prevention Month.

"Please do not let them into your home," reads a Facebook post made Tuesday. "Call your local law enforcement authorities (Modesto Police Department or the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department) to alert them of the incident. The Fire Prevention Division of the Modesto Fire Department does not do home inspections and this is not Fire Prevention Month." (Fire Prevention Week is observed in October, according to the National Fire Protection Association.)

The Facebook post was prompted by a call to the Modesto Police Department reporting such an incident, said Modesto Fire Department spokeswoman Jessica Smart. The reporting party has a family member in fire service, she said.

"Given the timing of the incident being immediately following Christmas, we were concerned with people being cased for theft and wanted to get the message out as far and as fast as possible to keep people from being unsuspecting victims," Smart said.

Information was not immediately available from the Modesto Police Department on any other reports of the apparent scam.

This story was originally published December 27, 2017 at 1:23 PM with the headline "Offered a free home safety inspection? Don't let them in, Modesto Fire Department warns."